their Bond men wherein we are to desire you to take part with us according at you are bound by Conscience and by Nature to defend your Country And if you be afraid we should shrink from you after you should enter this Cause you shall understand that we took this Matter in hand with great Authority both from the Popes Holiness and from King Philip who do undertake to further us in our Affairs as we shall need Wherefore you shall not need to fear to take one part of it and be assured we will never agree with none of your Adversaries without your Consent and this our Letter shall be a sufficient Warrant for the same Newcastle Novemb. 29. 1579. Besides the Nonsence and Illiterature appearing in this Letter is it not prodigious that Fitz-Girald an English Man should rail against his own Nation and think that to be the worst of Faults which was most inseparable from him the Foundation of his greatness viz. his extraction or that he who held his Estate by English Laws and Patents should so insist upon his Possession as to forget his Title and by a stupid Contradiction look upon the English as Usurpers whilst he himself had no other Right But he who could fancy that any Authority in Ireland could be derived from King Philip might swallow impossibilities and without fear or wit run into destruction as he did In the mean time the Lord General Ormond invaded Connilogh December to which Place Desmond was again returned but did not at all expect that Attack so that most of the Inhabitants were surprized and either killed or taken Prisoners and the Villages were either plundered or burnt the Earl was like to be surprized at Newcastle and very narrowly escaped And not long after Ormond had a Brush with the Seneschal of Connilogh and though Ormond got the better yet he lost many of his Soldiers and therefore in revenge he burnt all the Country about Lefinnen and then marched to Cork and in the way he took a Prey of fifteen hundred Cows and brought them thither At Cork Ormond disposed of his Army into Garrisons and then went to Cashel having by the way taken the Mayor of Youghal who had formerly refused a Garrison and undertook to defend the Town against the Rebels and yet when Desmond attacked it the Mayor delivered it up almost without Blows and therefore to appease the Queen who was mightily troubled at the scandalous Loss of Youghal the Mayor was deservedly executed before his own Door and it is observable that Youghal was wholly deserted so that there was not one Soul left in it except one Fryar who was spared for the Humanity he had shewed to the Corps of Henry Davels which he carefully buried but the old Inhabitants were by Proclamation of the first day of February invited to return and to encourage them thereunto a Garrison of three hundred Foot was left in the Town under the Command of the Captains Morgan and Pierce In the mean time Ibid. Ormond made great Preparations to recover the Castle of Sangically from the Spaniards from whom he expected stout and obstinate Resistance but on the contrary they deserted the Castle upon view of the Army and fled over the Water but were so hotly pursued that most of them were slain and a Garrison was put into the Castle Ormond's Head Quarters were at Adare and it being usual for the Soldiers to range abroad for Forage or Plunder Desmond placed an Ambush so luckily that it once intercepted them but being stout and well disciplin'd Men they made good their Retreat without any Disadvantage In the mean time the Lord Justice whom we left at Limerick marched into Thomond where the Earl and his Son and two Servants very ill mounted met his Lordship and waited on him to Galway and there the Lord Justice confirm'd the Priviledges of that Town 1579. and thence marched through Athenry Ballinislow and Athlone to Dublin and there he found William Norris and an hundred and fifty brave Horse all in a Livery of Red Coats and Yellow Lace newly arrived from England which were immediately sent to Quarter at the Newry where Norris died on Christmas Day Captain Casy's Company that was left in Galway was forced to hire a House for the Soldiers and the Queen paid the Rent of it and on the twenty eighth of November a Custodiam of the Bishoprick of Ross was granted to Robert Drury for three Years and on the 3d. of Dec. the L. Justice kept Sessions at Trim and caused 16 Malefactors to be executed and on the 10th of Dec. Sir Hugh O Reily made his Submission at Drogheda and the same day 5000 l. in Money arrived out of England On the eighteenth of January the Lord Justice left Dublin and came by the Sea-coast to Wexford where he kept Sessions and sate personally in the Court thence by Tintern he came to Waterford where he was nobly received and the Mayor carried the Sword before him The Earl of Ormond met him at Waterford and upon Advertisement that the Rebels drew near Dungarvan and Youghal Captain Zouch was sent with four hundred Foot and an hundred Horse to oppose them On the Eleventh of February a Commission of Martial Law was sent to Sir Warham Saint-Leger Hooker 166. and then the Lord Justice having stayed three Weeks at Waterford removed to Clonmel where Ormond met him again and thence he marched to Limerick and had his Baggage carried a great part of the way on Mens Shoulders for want of carriage-Carriage-Horses or because of the badness of the Way or both at Limerick the Chancellor of that Diocess was found guilty of Treason for corresponding with Desmond but he made Shift to get a Pardon whilst the Bishop of Limerick who was shrewdly suspected was confined to his House On the Tenth of March the Lord Justice and Ormond met at Rakele and the next day they passed over the Bridge of Adare and returned at Night and then they divided their Forces and invaded Conniloe burning and spoiling the Country and incamped within one Mile of Kilcolman where they had News that Lieutenant Parker five Horse and three Foot coming from Limerick were set upon by an hundred Rebels near Rakele but they so behaved themselves that they slew the Commander and five or six more of the Enemy and came off with small Loss the same day a Soldier of the Marshal's encountred two lusty Kerns and having slain one he compell'd the other to carry his Fellow's Head to the Camp where he was likewise slain On the twelfth of March the Army being divided Preyed and burnt the Country to Slevelogher as they did likewise the next day and slew above four hundred Men whereupon the Lord Lixnaw was humbled and made his Submission The Lord Justice having marched as far as Slewemiss beyond Traley and not being able to pass farther resolved to besiege Carrigifoyl which was Desmond's chief strength and it was Garrisoned
Men and desired that he would hasten thither in Person And â—â—on after by their Proclamation they ordered that Dublin be fortified But it is time to return to Sir Philemy O Neal who having taken Dundalk and in it a Foot Company which surrendred upon the first Summons and all their Arms as also the Town of Ardee marched his Victorious Rabble of Four thousand Men to Lisnegarvy and on the Twenty second day of November attempted the Town but the Garison being Four hundred Foot and One hundred and eighty Horse under Sir Arthur Tyringham repulsed him with the loss of many Irish and Six Colours Another Party of the Rebels sat down before Melifont Novemb. 24. and found a brisk Defence from the Garison being Fifteen Horse and Twenty four Musquetiers but their Powder being spent the Horsemen forced their Way through the Irish Camp to Tredagh and the Foot surrendred upon Articles which the Rebels perfidiously broke and butchered several of them in cold Blood because they had kiâ—â—ed 140 Irishmen in defence of the Place By this Remora the intended Siege of Tredagh wâ—s delayâ—â— and therefore on the Twenty seventh day of November the Lords Justices sent Six hundred new-rais'd Foot and a Troop of Horse to reinforce the Garison there but the Lord Gormanston's Groom by his Masters privity gave notice of their March to the Irish who being three time their Number 2 Temple 16. fell upon them at Gellingstown-Bridge on the Twenty ninth of November and by the Folly or Treachery of a Captain that commanded a Countermarch and the Unexperience of the Men they were disordered and above Five hundred of them slain at which the Popish Inhabitants of Dublin did very much rejoyce and the Lords of the Pale did thereupon take off their Vizard But much better Success had Sir Charles Coot who marched from Dublin the same 27th of November to relieve the Castle of Wicklow and to quel the insolence of those Rebels that had come in Hostile manner within two miles of the City for on the 29th of the same Month he beat Luke Toole and One thousand Rebels and put them to a shameful Flight and thereby became so terrible to the Irish that they seldom afterwards made any resistance where he was Nevertheless the Irish were so elevated by the Victory at Gellingstown-bridge and the delay of Succours from England that the Lords of the Pale who were really the first Contrivers of this Rebellion and whose Tenants and Servants were openly or secretly concern'd in it from the beginning and they themselves had hitherto looked on whilst the English were robbed and had given no help or Assistance to the State having now drawn the Rebels into the Pale 2 Temple 18. believing it impossible to dissemble the Matter much longer began to unmask themselves and appear Bare-faced insomuch that the Lord Gormanston on the Second of December Mr. Dâ—â—dal's Examination Burlace 39. issued a Warrant to the Sheriff of Meath to Summon the Popish Lords and Gentry of that Country to meet at the Hill of Crofty and above One thousand of them met and Colonel Mac Mahon Philip O Rely Roger Moor c. came to them with a Guard of Musketeers whereupon the Lords of the Pale rode towards them and as formally as the Lord Mayor expostulates with the Privy Council at Temple-Bar demanded of them why they came Armed into the Pale They reply'd That they took up Arms for Liberty of Conscience and maintaining of his Majesties Prerogative in which they understood he was abridged and to make the Subjects of this Kingdom as Free as Those of England were But says the Lord Gormanstown Are not these Pretences and not indeed the true Grounds of your taking Arms and have you not some private ends of your own To which they answered That they had no private ends but did it upon the aforesaid Reasons and professed great Sincerity to his Lordship whereupon he told them That seeing those were the true ends of their Insurrection he and all the rest would joyn with them and immediately it was proclaimed that whosever denied to joyn with them or refused to assist them therein they would Account him an Enemy and to the utmost of their Power labour his Destruction and thus Valence and Brabant were joyned as Sir Philemy O Neal phrased it and the Lords of the Pale Confederated with their ancient and hereditary Enemies and became so barbarously Cruel that they bragged afterwards That they had killed more Protestants in Fingall only than were Slain in some other whole Counties But on the Third of December the Lords Justices and Council dissembling their knowledge of these Transactions wrote to the Lords of the Pale to come to Dublin and consult for the safety of the Kingdom whereupon the Lords of Kildare-Merion and Hoath came but the other Lords had another meeting at the Hill of Taragh on the Seventh of December and by Advice of their Lawyers sent the following Answer to the Lords Justices May it Please your Lordships WE have received your Letters of the Third instant intimating that you had present Occasions to confer with us concerning the present State of the Kingdom and the safety thereof in these Times of Danger and requiring us to be with you there on the Eighth of this instant We give your Lordships to understand That we have heretofore presented our selves before your Lordships and freely offered our Advice and Furtherance towards the Particulars aforesaid which was by you neglected which gave us cause to conceive that our Loyalty was suspected by you We give your Lordships further to understand That we have received certain Advertisement That Sir Charles Coot Knight at the Council-board hath offered some Speeches tending to a Purpose and Resolution to execute upon those of our Religion a general Massacre by which we are all deterr'd to 〈◊〉 on your Lordships not having any Security for our Safety from those threatned Evils or the Safety of our Lives but do rather think it fit to stand upon our best Guard until we hear from your Lordships how we shall be secur'd from those Perils Nevertheless we all protest That we are and will continue faithful Advisers and resolute Furtherers of His Majesty's Service concerning the present State of this Kingdom and the Safety thereof to our best Abilities And so with the said Tender of our humble Service we remain Your Lorship humble Servants Fingall Gormanstown Slane Dunsany Nettervill Oliver Louth Trimletstowne In like manner Luke Nettervill in the beginning of December upon three days Summons assembled Twelve hundred armed Men at Swords within Six Miles of Dublin and arrayed them under the Captains Golding Russell Travers Holywood c. which would have been impossible to have done on so short warning if they had not been privy to the Conspiracy long before and had not made Preparations for it The Lords Justices sent a Message to them ro disperse but they return'd for Answer
posted near Capoquin with a small Wood at their Backs and tho' he had but Sixty Horse and One hundred and forty Foot yet he boldly Charged them and killed two of their best Captains and Two hundred of their Soldiers with the loss of onely one English Man On the Ninth of August the Castle of Glin was taken by the Lord Forbes who came with his Fleet from before Gallway and Sailed up the River of Shanon and on the Twenty first the Lords Dungarvan and Broghill took the Castle of Ardmore with the Saughter of One hundred and forty of the Rebels But Provisions beginning to grow scant the Lord Insiquin drew out One thousand eight hundred Foot and Three hundred and sixty Horse and near Liscaroll met with the Irish Army under the Lord Mountgarret who was accompanied by the Lords Muskery Roch Ikerin Dunboin Castleconnel and Brittas and it came 〈◊〉 a smart Battel on the Third of September wherein the English were Victorious and killed Seven hundred of the Rebels and took Fifty â—sisoners and one piece of Cannon and two Field Pieces without any loss on the English side except that of the valiant Lord Viscount Kinalmeaky who was slain in the beginning of the Fight by a shot in his Neck and Sixteen private Soldiers In this Battel the noble Earl of Cork who never begrudged what he ventured for the Service of his King and Country had no less than four Sons viz. the Lords of Dungarvan Kinalmeky and Broghill and Mr. Francis Boyle since Viscount Shanon About the same time the Lord Forbes with his Regiment Landed at Kinsale and marched to Bandon and being joyned with Three Bandon Companies of Foot and some Horse they went to Rathbarry to relieve Captain Freak who had been besieged there since the Fourteenth of February but when they came to Cloghnikilty on the Eighteenth of October they thought fit to leave Two Scotch Companies and one Bandon Company there to secure that Town till their Return but it was not long after their Departure before a numerous Rabble of the Irish rushed upon them from all sides whereupon Groves who Commanded the Bandon Company advised to retreat towards their main Body which was not above four Miles from them but the Scots thought that dishonourable and refused and the Consequence was That the two Companies of Scots were cut in pieces but Groves valiantly made good his retreat a full Mile to an Old Danes Fort in the way to Ross which he justified manfully till the rest of the Forces came up to him and then they fell upon the Irish and forced them into the Island of 〈◊〉 and the Tide being in above Six hundred of them were killed and drowned whereupon the English marched to Cloghnikilty and relieved a great number of Men Women and Children which were imprison'd in the Market-house purposely to be burnt together â—ith the House to make a Bonâ—iâ—e for joy of the easie Victory they promised themselves over the rest of the Lord Forbes his Party After the Death of the Lord of Kinalmeaky Colonel Râ—â—land Saintleger was made Governour of Bandon in whose time it happened that the Troops of Bandon and Kingsale had appointed to meet at a day prefixed and to take a Prey but the Rebels who were at Kilcrea had notice of it and believing that the Troop had marched abroad according to the Appointment they boldly came to Bandon and took away the Cattel belonging to the Town but the Troop being by some Accident delayed in Town longer than they designed were just ready mounted when this Adventure happened so that they immediately issued out and recovered the Prey at Brinny Bridge and slew Fifty of the Tories in Killmore Bog without the loss of one Man But these small Victories were balanced by some considerable Successes of the Irish for the strong Castle of Limerick which had been besieged since the Fifteenth of January was surrendred to them on the Twenty third of June and the Castle of Askeaton submitted to the same Fate on the Fourteenth of August after nine Months Siege as Castlematrix likewise did not long after Neither was it a small Misfortune to the English that about this time both Dean Gray and Archdeacon Byss who were Commissioners to enquire into the English Losses in Munster met with their Destiny the former dying at Bandon and Byss the Survivor who had all the Papers and Examinations was murdered by the Rebels on the Way to Youghall ☜ and this is the true Reason why there is no particular full Account extant of the Murders and Losses in Munster And it is very observable that the Rebels took very few places by force but either want of Necessaries or Promise of good Conditions prevail'd with the English to surrender and it is no less wonder that the English would trust to any Articles from a perfidious People that had so often violated their Faith Nevertheless every day afforded Instances of their sâ—â—essful Treachery and besides what is already mentioned Gloghleigâ— and Cool are additional Examples in the former was a considerable Garison to whom Richard Condon promised Quarter and Convoy to Castlelyons whereupon they surrendred and for their Folly were every one murdered wounded or kept Prisoners And in Cool were 36 Troopers of the Earl of Barrimores to whom the same Condon promised the like Quarter Upon the Faith of a Soldier and a Christian but nevertheless murdered them all except one who had 36 Wounds and was left for dead And in Connaught the Town of Gallway did in the later end of April submit unto the Earl of Clanrickard who was Governor of that County and was by him taken into Protection until the Pleasure of his Majesty then expected over should be known but the Lords Justices did not approve of that Protection unless the Town would admit of an English Garison However Clanrickard made use of that Opportunity to relieve the Fort of Galway wherein the Archbishop of Tuam and 36 Ministers and many more English were in very great distress And about the middle of July the Lord President drew out his small Forces into the County of Mâ—yo Battle of Ballintobber where not far from Ballintobber they met with the Irish Army which was more than double their Number Nevertheless the English obtained an easie Victory over them and killed near 2000 of the Enemy and on the First day of the same Month Sir Frederick Hamilton took the Town of Sligo and slew 300 of the Rebels and afterwards routed Owen O Rourk who in his Absence had with 1000 Men besieged his Castle of Mannor Hamilton And about August the Lord Forbes came into the Bay of Gaâ—â—ay and landed some Guns and seized on the Abby and being joyn'd by the Lord President and the Earl of Clanrickard they pretended to besiege the Town but they wanted Necessaries and therefore the Lord Forbes compounded with the Town for a Sum of Money which was never paid and drew off from
England There was also another Petition for a free intercourse of Trade between Ireland and Portugal Ibid. whereunto the King gave a Gracious Answer And it seems that the State of England was intent upon the Recovery and Improvement of Ireland for Sir Nicholas Dagworth was sent thither to survey the Possessions of the Crown Davis 201 and to call the Officers of the Irish Revenue to account and the more to humour the Irish who thiink themselves disgraced when ignoble Men are put in the highest Authority over them Edmond Mortimer Earl of March and Vlster Jan. 24. 1380. was sent over Lord Lieutenant Sometime before he came viz. in Jun. 1380. the French and Spanish Gallies which did much Mischief on the Coasts of Ireland were by the English Fleet forced to retire into the Harbour of Kinsale where they were assailed and vanquished by the English and Irish so that their Chief Captains were taken Paâ—ata Hiberniae 360. and four hundred of the Enemies slain there were also taken four of their Barges and one Ballenget and one and twenty English Prizes were recovered I cannot find but that Ireland was pretty quiet during the Government of this Lord Lieutenant which did not continue very long for he died at St. Dominicks Abby near Cork on the 26th of December 1381. and the next day John Cotton then Dean of St. Patricks Ware de Praesulibus 28. and Lord Chancellor afterwards Achbishop of Armagh was chosen and sworn Sord Justice 1381 in the Convent of Preaching Friars at Cork Pryn 309. but it seems he did not long exercise that Office for in Mr. Prins Animadversions on the 4th Institut we find a Writ Dated the 29th Day of March anno 1382. viz. 5 R. 2. Directed to Roger Mortimer Earl of March Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whereby he is directed to call a Parliament there for the good Government of that Country and the support of the Kings great Charge and Expence but it is probable that this young Lord could not manage that unruly Kingdom and therefore Philip de Courtny the Kings Cousin was sent over Lord Lieutenant 1383. he had a great Estate in Ireland and therefore was the fitter for that Government He came over on good terms for he had a Patent to hold that Office for ten years nevertheless he behaved himself so ill Lib. M. Lamb. that he was not only superseded but also was arrested whilst he was Lord Lieutenant and afterwards grievously punished for the wrongs and oppressions he had done in Ireland Davis 201. In his time hapned a great Mortality called the Fourth Pestilence and upon the removal of him the Government of Ireland was given to the great Favourite of that Age Robert de Vere Earl of Oxford afterwards Marquess of Dublin Decemb. 1384. and Duke of Ireland Lord Lieutenant The English Parliament to get rid of him gave him a Debt of thirty thousand Marks due from the French King upon condition that after Easter he should pass into Ireland to recover the Lands the King had given him there he had five hundred Men at Arms at twelve pence per diem and a thousand Archers at six pence apiece a day appointed him for two years super conquestum illius Terrae He was trusted with the whole Dominion of the Realm during his Life without paying any thing therefore or making any Account for it He had Power to pass all Writs under his own Test and to place and displace all Officers how great soever even the Chancellor Treasurer Admiral c. and to name his own Deputy and all other Ministers And it seems that he had afterwards a larger Patent 4th Instit 357 9 Rich. 2. whereby the King granted him Totam Terram Dominium Hiberniae Insulas eidem Terrae adjacentes ac omnia Castra Comitatus Burgos Villas Portus Maris c. una cum Homagiis Obedientiis Vassallis Servitiis Recognitionibus Praelatorum Comitum Baronum c. cum Regaliis Regalitatibus Libertatibus c. omnibus aliis qnae ad Regaliam Nostram pertinent cum Mero Mixto Imperio adeo plene integre perfecte sicut Nos ea tenuimus habuimus tenuerunt habuerunt Progenitorum nostrorum aliqui ullis unquam temporibus retroactis Tenendum per Homagium Ligeum tantum c. But that which is most strange is That those illegal Letters Patents should be authorized by Parliament Assensâ— Praelatorum Ducum aliorum Procerum Communitatis nostri Angliae in Parliamento but nullum violentum est perpetuum novus iste insolitus umbratilis honor cito evanuit But it is time to return to the great Minion the Earl of Oxford who came as far as Wales and the King with him but they could not be perswaded to part and therefore this Lord Lieutenant never went to Ireland but deputed Sir John Stanly 1385. Lord Deputy in whose time the Bridge of Dublin fell and at the Parliament held at Westminster Roger Mortimer Earl of March Son of Philippa Daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence Third Son of Edward the Third was established and soon after proclaimed Heir Apparent to the Crown and yet he was but Heir Presumptive but this Lord Justice was sent for and Alexander de Balscot April 26. alias Petit 1387. Bishop of Meath who had been Treasurer and Chancellor did execute the Office of Lord Justice until the return of Sir John Stanly 1389. Lord Deputy to the aforesaid Earl of Oxford Lib. D. Lambeth to him O Neal and his Sons made an humble Submission in Writing wherein they renounced the Bonaught of Vlster they also promised Allegiance and gave Oaths and Hostages for the performance thereof And it is to be noted 1390. That almost in every Parliament of this Reign held in England the King did desire Aid from them for the carrying on the War in Ireland But at length the English Parliament did so vigorously prosecute the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland that he was forced to fly beyond Seas and not long after died miserably at Brussels and thereupon James Earl of Ormond July 25. was made Lord Justice and the Archbishop of Dublin was constituted Lord Chancellor 1392. This Lord Justice beat the Mac Moyns at Tascoffin in the County of Kilkenny and slew six hundred of them And now the State of England began to think seriously of the Recovery of Ireland and finding that that Country was poor and almost depopulated by the mighty Concourse of Irish into England whereby the Kings Revenue was decayed and the Power of the Irish Rebels increased it was thought fit to revive the Law against Absentees and to issue a Proclamation requiring all those whose Habitations were in that Kingdom to repair home Also some Recruits of Men and Money were sent to Ireland and the King had by Indenture agreed with Thomas Duke of Glocester to be Lord Lieutenant of
twenty pence or two shillings from every one that passed the Seas On the twenty fifth Day of March the King knighted four Irish Kings 1395. Selden tit hon 842. and some other great Lords whereof Mr Selden out of Froisart gives the following Account Four Kings of several Provinces in Ireland that submitted themselves to Richard II were put under the Care of Henry Castile an English Gentleman who spake Irish well in order to prepare them for Knighthood by the Kings Command he informed them of the English Manners in Diet Apparel and the like He asked them If they were willing to take the Order which the King of England would give them according to the Customs of England France and other Countries They answered They were Knights already and that the Order they had taken was enough for them and that they were made Knights in Ireland when they were seven Years Old and that every King makes his Son Knight and if the Father be dead the next of Kin does it and that the manner is thus The new Knight at his making runs with slender Lances against a Shield set upon a Stake in a Meadow and the more Lances he thus breaks the more Honour continues with his Dignity But Mr. Castile told them They should receive a Knighthood with more State in the Church and afterwards being perswaded and instructed especially by the Earl of Ormond they did receive Knighthood at Christ-Church Dublin after their Vigils performed in the same Church and a Mass heard and some others were knighted with them but the four Kings in Robes agreeable to their State sate that Day with King Richard at the Table And so Davit 202. when the King had supplied the Courts of Justice with able Men particularly with Sir William Hankford Chief Justice who was afterwards Chief Justice of England and done his Endeavor to establish a Civil Plantation in the Mountains of Wicklow he returned to England about Midsummer 1394. as I suppose for on the fourth of July 1394 Roger Mortimer Earl of March was sworn Lord Lieutenant Pryn. 294. And not long after the aforesaid excellent Ordinances of 31 Edw. 3. were ratified revived and exemplified and sent into Ireland to be more duly observed than hitherto they had been But the Scene was changed and the Irish despising the weak Forces the King had left behind him began to lay aside their Mask of Humility and to make Incursions into the Borders of the Pale Nevertheless the English were not daunted their Valour supplyed what was wanting in their Number Cambd. particularly Sir Thomas de Burgh and Walter de Birmingham with their Forces slew six hundred of the Irish and their Captain Mac Con and the Lord Lieutenant and the Earl of Ormond wasted the County of Wicklow and took O Birnes House whereupon the Lord Lieutenant made seven Knights But this Victory was much overballanced by the Loss of forty principal Englishmen slain by the O Tools on Ascension-day and not long after by the Death of the Lord Lieutenant himself who was slain at Kenlis in Ossory by the O Birnes on the twentieth of July 1398. And thereupon Roger Gray was chosen Lord Justice 1398. pro tempore until the King sent over his half Brother Thomas Holland Duke of Surry Lord Lieutenant 1398. who landed at Dublin the seventh of October 1398. but did not long continue in that Office before the King pretending a Resolution to revenge the Death of his Cousin and Heir the Earl of March who was slain by the Irish as aforesaid He left the Government of England in the Hands of his Vnkle the Duke of York And on the first Day of June Richard 1399. King of England landed at Waterford with a good Army which he marched to Dublin through the wast Countries of Murroughs Kinshelaghs Cavenaghs Birns and Tooles but the Army was much distressed for want of Victuals and Carriages in those Deserts so that he performed no memorable Exploit save that he cut and cleared the Paces in the Cavenaghs Country and knighted Henry the Duke of Lancaster's Son afterwards Henry V for his briskness against the Irish On the sixth of June being the Friday after the King's arrival Jenico de Artois his faithful Gascoign slew two hundred Irish at Ford in Kenlis in the County of Kildare And the next Day the Citizens of Dublin made Incursions into Wicklow and killed thirty three Irishmen and took eighty Prisoners And on the twenty sixth of June the King came to Dublin and received the Submission of many Irish Lords But whilst he was consulting how to proceed he received the unwelcome News of the Duke of Lancaster's Progress in England whereupon he imprisoned his and the Duke of Glocester's Sons in the Castle of Trym and though he sent the Earl of Salisbury before him to gather an Army in Wales yet the King followed after so slowly that the Army was disperst before he arrived in England with which Misfortune his Courage fell so that on Michaelmass day he tamely surrendred the Crown and gave a just occasion for this true Remark Baker 152. That never any Man who had used a Kingdom with such Violence gave it over with such Patience He was afterwards deposed by Parliament and several Articles exhibited against him one of which was That he forced divers Religious Persons in England to give Horses Arms and Carts towards the Irish Expedition And another was That he carryed into Ireland the Treasure Reliques and other Jewels of the Crown which were used to be kept in the King's Coffers from all Hazard The King created Edward Plantagenet Earl of Cork in the twentieth Year of his Reign And the same Year gave a Licence under the Privy Seal to William Lord Courcy to buy a Ship to pass and repass to and from England And in this Reign happened this famous Case One Thomas a Clerk in England obtained a Judgment at Westminster against Robert Wickford afterwards Archbishop of Dublin and upon Affidavit That the Defendant lived in Ireland and had Goods and Lands there and the Sheriffs Return That he had no Lands nor Goods in England the Plaintiff had a Writ against the said Archbishop in haec verba IDeo vobis mandamus quod de terris catallis ejusdem Roberti Lib. M. jam Archiepiscopi in Terra nostra Hiberniae fieri facias praedict decem libras illas habeatis coram c. This Archbishop died anno 1390 so that this Writ must issue before that time THE REIGN OF HENRY IV. King of England c. And LORD of IRELAND HENRY Duke of Lancaster eldest Son of the famous John of Gaunt fourth Son of King Edward the Third upon the Resignation of King Richard procured him to be deposed in Parliament and himself to be elected King and the Crown to be entailed on him and the Heirs of his Body His Claim was as Heir to Henry III but finding that
to and from England Fifthly That a certain Fund be appointed for their Pay Sixthly That at the King's Charge he might have a Family or two out of every Parish in England to inhabit Ireland Seventhly To have Power of granting Benefices and of making a Deputy And Lastly That the Demesnes of the Crown may be resumed and the Acts of Absentees may be executed The Lord Lieutenant within a Week after he came to Dublin caused the Earl of Kildare and three of his Family to be arrested and suffered the Earls Goods to be rifled and spoiled by the Duke's Servants and kept the Earl himself in Prison in Dublin Castle until he paid three hundred Marks It is recorded that the Lord Lieutenant was desperately wounded in an Encounter at Kilmainham and hardly escaped with Life but it is not mentioned how nor by whom but it seems he design'd to revenge it and to make a general Hosting for he made Proclamation that all such as ought by their Tenures to serve the King should assemble together at Ross He also held a Parliament at Kilkenny for a Tallage to be granted but what Success he had in these Assemblies is not so manifest as it is that he went to England on the 13th of March leaving Thomas Butler 1409. Prior of Kilmainham his Deputy in whose time the King gave the Sword to the City of Dublin and changed their PROVOST into a MAYOR and not long after the Barbarous Mac Gilmore being routed and pursued by the Savages fled to the Church of the Friers Minors at Carigfergus which he had formerly defaced but they got into the Windows whence this Tory had formerly taken the Iron Bars and there they put an end to his Villany and his Life In Vlster Jenico de Artois the famous Gascoigne behaved himself briskly and slew eighty of the Rebels in a Skirmish he had with them But on the twenty first of May or rather the thirteenth of June the Parliament began at Dublin 1410. and made it Treason to take Coyn and Livery Lib. D. and on the tenth of July the Lord Justice took the Castles of Mibraclide in Offerol and De-la-mare It seems he proceeded to invade O Birns Country with fifteen hundred Kerns or Irish Souldiers and the Consequence was that they betrayed him and half of them went over to the Enemy so that it had gone hard with the Lord Justice if the Power of Dublin had not been there and yet he escaped not without loss for John Derpatrick was there slain The next Year was probably more quiet 1411. for there is nothing recorded of it except some considerable Marriages amongst the Grandees On the tenth of April 1412. O Connor did much Mischief in Meath and took an hundred and forty English and O Tool and Thomas Fitz-Maurice Sheriss of Limerick kill'd each other in a Duel About this time the King granted the Town and Ferry of Inishonan Lib. G. to Philip de Barry and it is to be noted that almost in every Parliament holden in England during this Reign the danger of Ireland is remembred although very little was done for it because of the frequent Troubles in England and so we come to the 20th day of March on which the King died at the Abbot of Westminster's House in the fourteenâ—h Year of his Reign and of his Age the forty seventh He died so very poor that his Executors refused to administer and therefore the Archbishop of Canterbury who is Ordinary to the Court where-ever it is exposed the Kings Goods to Sale and King Henry the Fifth bought them for the value to be paid the Executors to be disposed of according to his Fathers Will Rolls Abr. 906. but it seems he never paid the Money for it was afterwards ordained in Parliament 4 Inst 335 that the Executors should not be sued by the Creditors The Bishop of Meath is said to have been Lord Justice about the Year 1402. But because I do find him omitted by others and do not find that he did any thing worth mention I have therefore not inserted him as Lord Justice in Order THE REIGN OF HENRY V. King of England c. And LORD of IRELAND HENRY the Fifth succeeded his Father without any opposition and all the Nobility taking it then for a Law that the Crown belonged to the Heir of him that died last seized swore Homage and Allegiance to him before Coronation 1412. which was not usual in those days but this Magnanimous Prince was so taken up with Designs against France that Ireland was but little regarded in his Reign For the present He continued in the Government Thomas 1413. Prior of Kilmainham who did not long remain therein before he surrendred unto Sir John Stanly Lord Lieutenant he Landed at Clantarf the 7th of October and on the 6th of January after died at Ardee whereupon on the 11th of February the Nobility elected Thomas Crawly Lord Justice He was twice Chancellor and then Archbishop of Dublin and was a Man of fingular Piety and Learning and it is to be noted That the Parliament sate at Dublin the 26th of February so that it could not have above fifteen days of Summons though the Day of the Lord Justice his Admittance to the Government and the Day of the Session be included the Irish burnt the Pale during this Parliament as they used to do and therefore a Tax or Tallage was demanded but not granted and so that Parliament was dissolved after it had sate fifteen Days However 1414. the valiant Jenico de Artois invaded the Territory of Macgenis but was so unfortunate to lose many of his Men at Inor whereupon the Irish grew so insolent that the Lord Justice was necessitated to go out in person However he went no farther than Castledermond and there entrusting the Army with the Military men he remained with his Clergy in Procession and at Prayers for the Success of his small Army and the Event answered his expectation for the English slew an hundred of the Irish near Kilkea but that small Victory was soon over-ballanced by a Defeat which the English of Meath received from O Connor on the 10th of May to the Loss of Tho. Maureverar Baron of Shrine and many others and to the imprisonment of Christopher Fleming and John Dardis This Loss discovered the necessity of sending a Martial Man to the Government of Ireland and therefore on the 10th day of September Sir John Talbot Lord Furnival Lord Lieutenant Landed at Dalkye and immediately made a Circular Progress round the Pale in warlike manner He began with the Birns Tools and Cavenaghs on the South and so passing to the O Moors O Connors and O Ferrals in the West and ending with the O Relyes Mac Mahons O Neals and O Hanlons in the North he brought them all to the Kings Peace but he brought no Forces with him out of England and therefore though he had Strength enough to
make them seek Peace yet he was in no wise able to reduce them to the Obedience of Subjects or enlarge the Limits of the Pale however what he did was held so considerable that the Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale made Certificate of this great Service in French to the King Nevertheless the Army was so ill paid in this March that the Subject suffered more from the Cess of the Souldier than they gained by this small and temporary mortification of the Irish and this was the common Calamity from hence forward so that Necessity revived Coyn and Livery again by degrees notwithstanding that it remained Treason by Act of Parliament In August the Parliament met at Dublin 1415. and sate six weeks during which time the Irish followed their usual Course of falling upon the English and killed Thomas Ballymore of Ballyquelan and many others and on the 22th day of October the King obtained a most glorious and entire Victory over the French at the Battel of Agincourt But the Parliament was adjourned to Trym 1416. and there it sate on the 11th of May and continued seven days and gave the King a Subsidy of four hundred Marks in Money and the next year the Prior of Kilmainham with sixteen hundred Irish went to aid the King in France 1417. they Landed at Harslew in Normandy and did the King very good Service But I should have remembred That the King and Parliament at Westminster anno 1413. did Enact That for the Peace and Quietness of England and for the encrease and enstoring of Ireland That all Irishmen Irish Clerks Beggars and Chamberdekins be voided out of England before All-Saints next Lib. M. except Graduates in Schools Sergeants and Apprentices at Law and such as be Inheritors in England and Religious Persons professed and Merchants of good Name and Apprentices now dwelling in England and those whom the King will dispense with and that all Irishmen who have Offices or Benefices in Ireland shall dwell in Ireland for the defence of the Land And now 4 Hen. 5. Lib. M. It was likewise Enacted in England that all Archbishops Bishops Abbots and Priors of the Irish Nation Rebels to the King that shall make any Collation or Presentment to Benefices in Ireland or bring with them any Irish Rebels among the Englishmen to the Parliament Councils or other Assemblies within the same Land to know the Privities or States of the Englishmen their Temporalities shall be seized till they fine to the King and that the Governors of Ireland be defended and restrained to grant such Benefices or Pardons in the case to Irish Persons not English and that such Licenses shall be void There is very little recorded of the Year 1418 1418. and it is scarce worth mentioning That the Lord Lieutenant did spoil the Tenants of Henry Crus and Henry Bethel probably for some Misdemeanor by them committed against the Government But the Year 1419. 1419. will afford us more Matter for on the last Day of May the Lord Lieutenant accompanied by the Archbishop and Mayor of Dublin razed the Castle of Kenun having a little before in the same Month taken Prisoner Mac Morough the chief Captain of his Nation and on the 20th of June the Lord William de Burgh took O Kelly and slow five hundred Irish in Connaught but the Lord Lieutenant was sent for to England and substituted his Brother Richard Talbot Archbishop of Dublin Lord Justice or Deputy He held a Royal Council i. e. a Parliament at the Naas which gave a Subsidy of three hundred Marks On Maundy-Thursday O Tool took four hundred Kine from Ballymore and so broke the Peace contrary to his Oath but it fared worse with the Irish at Rodiston where thirty of them were slain by the English under the Command of the Lord Justice but on the 4th day of April Landed at Waterford James 1420. Earl of Ormond Lord Lieutenant His Commission is very large and beareth Date the 10th of Febr. 7 Hen. 5. and is to be seen Pryn 412. He held a Council at Dublin the 23th of April and summoned a Parliament to meet the 7th of June which did accordingly then meet and sate sixteen days and gave the King a Subsidy of seven hundred Marks and adjourned to Monday after S. Andrews Day and at that Session they gave another Subsidy of three hundred Marks and the publick Debts contracted by the Lord Talbot were paid and then they were Adjourned to the Monday after S. Ambrose's Day But it will be convenient to shew the Reader who paid these Subsidies and what their respective Proportions were and thereby he will perceive the vast Alteration for the better that is made in the State of Ireland since those Days This Subsidy was called Tertium Subsidium and was applotted thus Lib. CCC Â Lib. s. d. The Clergy of the County of Wexford 13 06 08 The Commons of Kildare 34 10 05 The Clergy of Kildare 04 02 10 Commons of Typerary 08 11 04 Clergy of Cashel 00 19 04 Commons of Limerick 02 03 00 Clergy of Limerick 00 08 01 Kingsale 01 16 08 Â Mar. s. d. Meath Liberty 83 00 00 Clergy of Meath 40 00 00 Clergy of Dublin 11 11 08 Drogehda 04 03 00 Commons of Carlow 04 01 04 Clergy of Ossory 02 00 11 Commons of Kilkenny 18 05 11 Commons of Louth 25 12 05 Clergy of Ardes 08 08 09 Commons of Dublin 40 10 00 City of Dublin 06 10 00 Clergy Cathedral of Dublin 11 11 08 Cork 02 02 00 On the 28th of October Thomas Fitz-Girald took Colmolin Castle and the Parliament met again according to Adjournment on Monday after S. Ambrose's Day and ordered that the Archbishop of Armagh Sir Christopher Preston and others should go Commissioners to the King to desire a Reformation of the State of the Land At this Parliament John Gese Bishop of Lismore and Waterford accused Richard O Hedian Archbishop of Cashel of Thirty Articles the Principal of which were First Ware de Praesul 170. That he loved none of the English Nation nor gave any Benefice to any Englishman and that he counselled other Bishops to do the like Secondly That he had counterfeited the Great Seal Thirdly That he designed to make himself King of Munster Fourthly That he had taken a Ring from the Image of S. Patrick which the Earl of Desmond had offered and gave it to his Concubine c. There was also a Contest between Adam Pory Bishop of Cloyne and another Bishop but it is probable that the former Accusation was suppressed because we find no farther Proceedings upon them and because the Archbishop seems to have been a more generous sort of Man for he not only repaired the Cathedral of Cashel and a Mansion-House or two for his Successors but also was otherwise a great Benefactor to that See and liberal to Pious Uses and the later Contest was transmitted to Rome But we should return
pain of loss of Life Lands and Goods that never any of them do make War upon another without Licence or Commandment of you my Lord Deputy and the Kings Council for the utter destruction of these parts is that only cause and once all the Irishmen and the Kings Enemies were driven into a great Vally called Glanehought betwixt two great Mountains called Maccorte or the Leprous Island and there they lived long and many years with their White-Meat till at the last these English Lords fell at variance among themselves and then the weakest part took certain Irishmen to take his part and so vanquished his Enemy and thus fell the English Lords at variance among themselves till the Irishmen were stronger than they and drave them away and now have the whole Country under them but that the Lord Roch the Lord Courcy and the Lord Barry only remain with the least part of their Ancestors Possessions and young Barry is there upon the Kings Portion paying his Grace never a penny of Rent wherefore We the Kings poor Subjects of the City of Cork Kinsale and Youghal desire your Lordship to send hither two good Justices to see this Matter ordered and some English Captains with twenty Englishmen that may be Captains over us all and we will rise with them to redress these Enormities all at our own Costs and if you do not we be all cast away and then farewel Munster for ever and if you will not come nor send we will send over to our Liege Lord the King and complain on you all However I will not pretend to be exact in the timing of this Letter This Lord Lieutenant had a Son born at Dublin well known afterwards by the Name of George Duke of Clarence to whom the Earls of Ormond and Desmond were Godfathers and thereupon Desmond grew so insolent and haughty that his Oppressions were the chief Cause of the aforesaid Letter from Cork but it is probable that the Lord Lieutenant return'd to England and left James Earl of Ormond afterward Earl of Wiltshire 1451. and Lord Treasurer of England Lord Deputy in whose time Sir John Talbot was made Lord Chancellor of Ireland and it seems Complaint was made against him because he put in a Deputy in his room absque Regis licentia Lib. CCC This Lord Deputy was made Lord Lieutenant and went for England leaving John Mey Archbishop of Armagh Lord Deputy 1453. wherewith the Government of England being dissatisfied a Writ was sent to the Earl of Ormond commanding him Quod circa praemissis intenderet I suppose the Reason might be because there was a Necessity for the Presence of a Military Governour of Power and Authority in that Kingdom to repel the daily Incursions of the Irish into the Pale and therefore Ormond not being willing to come over the Government was committed to Thomas Earl of Kildare 1454. Lord Deputy who held it only until the arrival of Sir Edward Fitz-Eustace Lord Deputy to the Duke of York Who held a Parliament in Dublin at which it was enacted I. That all Statutes against Provisors in England or Ireland should be held in Force II. That Inquests before Coroners shall be discharged after a second Verdict that they do not know the Felon III. That no Appeals shall be to England except for Treason against the King's Person and in all false Appeals the Plaintif shall pay Damages and twenty Pound and one hundred Shillings Fine In the mean time the Duke of York in England obtained a famous Victory over the King's Forces at S. Albans where the Duke of Somerset was slain and the King himself was wounded in the Neck and afterwards on the ninth of July he was made Protector of the King's Person by Parliament And in Ireland Thomas Earl of Kildare was Lord Deputy to the Duke of York 1455. and held a Parliament at Dublin wherein it was enacted I. That no Exigents nor Outlawries be made by Commissioners II. That the Recorder of Dublin and Drogheda shall have but two Pence for every Plaint III. That every Man shall answer for his Sons and waged Men. IV. An Act about Escheators V. That a Parliament should be held every Year And he held another Parliament at the Naas Lib. M. 48. Friday after All Saints which enacted I. That all Strangers pay forty Pence per Pound Custom for transporting Silver II. That every Man shall answer for his Sons except in Cases Capital III. That no Person not amesnable to Law shall distrain without Licence on pain of forfeiting his Title And he held another Parliament at Dublin Friday after the Purification at which it was established I. That Beneficed Persons should reside II. That the Inhabitants to enclose the Village might remove the High-way forty Perch Richard Duke of York 1459. upon the Revolt of Andrew Trollop and the Callicians broke up his Army and fled first to Wales and afterwards to Ireland where he was kindly received and by his Deputy the Earl of Kildare he held a Parliament at Dublin the third of February which enacted That Warrants to the Chancellor bear the Date of the Delivery and that the Patents be of the same Date or else be void And the same Day twelve month he held another Parliament at Drogheda 1460. wherein it was enacted That no Man should sue in the Exchequer but a Minister of that Court on pain of ten Pound This Duke and his Abettors were in a Parliament at Coventry declared Traytors and thereupon the Earl of March came to his Father into Ireland and soon after returned to Calice and thence invaded England at Sandwich and on the ninth of July he fought and defeated the King at Northampton and took him Prisoner whereupon the Duke of York went to England and called a Parliament in the King's Name and in that Parliament boldly claimed his Title and so it was enacted That King Henry should keep the Crown during his Life and the Duke should be declared Heir apparent and in case of Opposition or farther Bustle about it should have present Possession But not long after the Duke was defeated and slain at the Battle of Wakefield This Duke behaved himself exceeding well in Ireland he appeased the Tumults there and erected Castles on the Borders of Louth Meath and Kildare to stop the Irish Incursions and was so well esteemed in that Kingdom that Multitudes of the Irish Subjects attended him into England to pursue his Claim to the Crown Nevertheless the Publick Revenue was but very low because the whole Kingdom was in Possession of the Irish except the Pale and some few Places on the Sea-Coast in Vlster and even that was so far from being quiet that they were fain to buy their Peace by yearly Pensions to the Irish and to pay Tribute and Contributions to them for Protection which nevertheless was but very ill observed to the English It cannot be expected I should give the Reader an exact
Faghil Abbot of Derry and Richard O Craghan 1531. who in the behalf of their Master perfected Indentures and swore Fealty to the King in presence of the Lord Deputy Davis 105. at Tredagh on the sixth of May 1531. And at the same time it is probable he made the Proposal mention by Sir John Davis Quod si Dominus Rex velit reformare Hiberniam He and His would gladly be governed by the Laws of England O Sullevan tells us a Story Sullevan 77. with great Ostentation That an English Ship took a Spanish Vessel that was fishing on the Coast of Ireland near the Dursies And that his Grand-Father Dermond O Sullevan Prince of Bear and Bantry having notice of it manned out a small Squadron of Ships and took both the Englishman and the Spaniard and hanged the English Captain but set the Spaniard at Liberty By which may be easily perceived What sort of Inclinations that sort of Men bear to an Englishman and what kind of Loyalty they paid to their King when they murdered his Subjects and cherished his Enemies But the Animosities and Feuds between the Lord Deputy and the Earl of Kildare did every Day increase and at length came to that height that they reciprocally impeached each other in England and Kildare did wisely to sail thither and personally solicite his own Affairs which he managed so successfully that Skeffington was superseded and Girald Earl of Kildare made Lord Deputy in his stead He also procured Alan the Lord Chancellor a Creature of Wolsies to be removed and Cromer Primate of Armagh to be placed in the Chancery July 5. 1532. in his room Nevertheless lest Kildare should grow too powerful the King to ballance him gave the Lord High Treasurers Staff to James Lord Butler who notwithstanding that he was Kildare's Nephew was nevertheless his bitter Enemy and heartily espoused the Quarrels of his Father the Earl of Ossory as it was his Interest and Duty to do But the Earl of Kildare having again gotten the Supreme Power into his Hands little valued the Opposition of his Enemies On the contrary he was transported with the Contemplation of the prodigious Success he had hitherto met with and presumed so far on its continuance that he precipitated himself into many vain and unaccountable Actions for he not only married two of his Daughters to O Connor and O Carol obstinate Enemies to the Crown of England but also with his Forces invaded Kilkenny and destroyed all he found belonging to the Earl of Ossory and his Friends he also persuaded his Brother John Fitz-Girald and O Neal to invade the County of Louth which they burned and preyed without Resistance And all these Extravagances contributed to the Destruction of a Noble Family and to leave this Earl of Kildare an Example to Posterity of the great folly of using Power immoderately On the nineteenth of May 25 Hen. 8. which was anno 1533 and not 1534 as is mistaken in the printed Statutes the Parliament met and enacted I. That sturdy Beggars should not leaze Corn nor any Body out of his Parish And that no Body should give Sheaves of Corn for Reaping or Binding And in all these cases the Corn may be taken away from the Transgressor II. That the Parsonage of Galtrim should be appropriated to the Priory of S. Peter's near Trim. III. That the Royal Fishing of the Banne be resumed into the King's Hands Ware 's Annals 130. But this last Act is not printed At this Parliament the Controversie was renewed between Cromer Primate of Armagh and Allan Archbishop of Dublin about Precedency in Dublin which was determined in favour of the Primate O Carol that married Kildare's Daughter was Tanist and Brother to the deceased O Carol and by the Law of Tanistry claimed the Signiory but the Son of the Desunct being of Age and a brisk Man would not be so served and therefore as Heir to his Father he seized on the Castle of Bi r which the Lord Deputy in favour of his Son-in-Law undertook to besiege and did so but it was in vain for at that Siege he received a Shot in his Head which sent him back faster than he came out and though he regained his Health yet he never recovered his Intellectuals but was ever after as we say A little crackbrained It is reported That when he was wounded he sighed deeply which a Soldier that was by observing he told his Lordship That himself had been shot three times and yet was recovered To whom the Earl replyed Would to God thou hadst also received the fourth Shot in my stead About this time John Allen who had been Clerk of the Council and was now Master of the Rolls a Creature of the deposed Chancellor Alans was sent by the Council into England about Publick Affairs Lib. 〈◊〉 His Instructions were To acquaint the King with the Decay of the Land and that neither English Order Tongue or Habit nor the King's Laws are used above twenty Miles in compass That this Decay is occasioned by the taking of Coyn and Livery without Order after Men's own sensual Appetites and taking Cuddees Garty and Caan for Felonies and Murder Alterages Bienges Saults and Slanciaghs c. And that they want English Inhabitants who formerly had Arms and Servants to defend the Country but of late the English Proprietor hath taken Irish Tenants that can live without Bread or good Victuals and some for Lucre to have more Rent and some for Impositions and Vassalage which the English cannot bear have expelled the English and made the Country all Irish without Order Security or Hospitality Formerly English Gentlemen kept a Retinue of English Yeomen according to the Custom of England to the great Security of the Country but now they keep Horsmen and Kernes who live by oppressing the poor People The great Jurisdiction of the Nobility is another Cause of destroying the King's Subjects and Revenue And the Black Rents which the Irish exact enriches them and impoverisheth the Englishman Also the making of a Native chief Governour and often change of the Lord Deputy are great Faults And ill keeping of the King's Records and putting unskilful Clerks in the Exchequer do occasion much Mischief But the Alienation of the Crown Lands so that the King's Revenue is not sufficient to defend the Realm is the greatest Grievance of all It is probable that these Instructions were kept secret from the Lord Deputy for it cannot be imagined That he would have consented that Articles which in effect were an Impeachment of himself should be communicated to the King and in truth Allen's Errand was to accuse the Deputy and he was imployed so to do by the Archbishop of Dublin the Earl of Ossory Ware 131. Sir William Skeffington and others and he performed his Commission so effectually that the Lord Deputy was sent for by the King's Letter to repair to England and answer the Crimes that were objected against him Kildare
Rebels to enter the City and animate them more to fight within than without the Walls and they also believed That very many of Fitz-Girald's Army being Inhabitants of the Pale and forced to the Camp were in their Hearts for the City and this they were induced to believe because most part of the Arrows shot over the Walls were unheaded Upon these Considerations they resolved to sally and gave out from the Walls That new Succours were come from England and as if it had been so immediately rushed out through Fire and Flame and the Enemy believing they were new-arrived Soldiers and that the Citizens durst not adventure so briskly immediately fled leaving one hundred Gallowglasses slain and their Falcon taken Thomas Fitz-Girald himself lurked at the Grey-Fryers in Francis-street till next morning and then he got to the remainder of his shattered Army In the mean time the Earl of Kildare was committed to the Tower Holingshead 88 because he had contrary to the King 's express Command furnished his Castles out of his Majesty's Stores And though he answered That it was done to defend the Pale against the Borderers and that if he designed Treason he was not such a Fool as to fortifie his Castles and at the same time to adventure his Person into their Hands however he stuttered so much and delivered his Speech in such staggering and maffling manner that they concluded him Guilty and committed him And now hearing of his Son's Extravagancies he broke his Heart and died in the Tower in September Fitz-Girald being in great want of Artillery and Ammunition and somewhat cooled by the late defeat sent James Delahide and others to treat with the City upon these Articles I. That his Men that were Prisoners should be enlarged II. That the City should pay one thousand Pound in Mony and five hundred Pound in Wares III. To furnish him Ammunition and Artillery IV. To interceed with the King for his Pardon and his Followers Mr Fitz-Symons Recorder was appointed to answer to the I. That if he would deliver their Children they would enlarge his Men. To the II. That they were impoverished with his Wars and could not spare either Wares or Mony To the III. If he intended to submit he had no need of them if he did not they would not give him Rods to whip themselves That they expected he would request good Vellam Parchment to ingross his Pardon and not Artillery to withstand his Prince To the IV. They promised all Intercession they could by Word or Letter Whilst they were treating thus one William Bath of Dollars-Town a Lawyer stepped forward and said My Masters What need all these Circumstances Let us all drink of one Cup Which Words cost him his Life the next year It seems Fitz-Girald agreed with the Citizens on their own Terms and Hostages being given on both sides he raised his Siege and sent his Artillery to Houth but went himself to Minnooth to see that Castle fortified and furnished In the mean time the two Hamertons with one hundred and eighty Soldiers arrived out of England at Houth and on their March to Dublin were encountred near Clantarf by Thomas Fitz-Girald and two hundred Horsemen and though they fought valiantly and one of the Hamertons wounded Fitz-Girald in the Forehead yet being over-powered they were all slain or taken Prisoners and their Ships were forced from Houth and a Vessel freighted with choice English Geldings was also taken by Captain Rouks Fitz-Girald's Pirate and the Horses were sent to Fitz Girald And not long after landed both the Eglebees and Dacres with their Horsemen at the Skerries and Sir William Brereton and his Son John with two hundred and fifty Soldiers well appointed and Captain Salisbury with two hundred Archers lastly Landed at the Slip near the Bridge of Dublin Sir William Skeffington Lord Deputy he was Master of the Ordnance in England and therefore was by the Irish who put Nick-names upon every Body even of themselves as Dermond Buckagh Tiege Mauntagh c. in derision called The Gunner he was received with great Joy by the City and had the Sword delivered to him by the Lord of Trimletstone who was made Chancellor in the place of Archbishop Cromer Baron Finglass who wrote a M. S. Treatise of the Decay of Ireland was made Chief Justice of the King's Bench as Luttrel was of the Common Pleas and Girald Ailmer Chief Baron of the Exchequer and William Brabazon Vice-Treasurer This Deputy also brought with him Leonard Lord Grey designed Marshal of Ireland and Gracious Letters from the King to the City of Dublin That part of the English Fleet which sailed near Tredagh met with Brode the Pyrate and forced him a Ground so that he and nine of his Men were taken at Tredagh and sent Prisoners to Dublin whereat Fitz-Girald was so much enraged that he threatned to besiege Tredagh and it is probable he marched that way for it was averr'd at Dublin That he was actually before the Town And therefore the Lord Deputy immediatly viz. the twenty eighth of October marched out to raise the Siege of Tredagh and he staied in and about that Town till the fourth of November and then finding no Enemy near that Place he returned to Dublin having first proclaimed Fitz-Girald Traytor at the High Cross of Tredagh The Lord Deputy would have pursued Fitz-Girald and his Confederates but that the Winter was too near and himself was indisposed moreover he daily expected Supplies of Men and Mony from England and he knew that Fitz Girald had strengthned his Party by a new Confederacy with O Neal and O Connor And therefore being necessitated to postpone his Designs till the Spring some say he made a Truce with Fitz-Girald until January but that seems improbable because the Pale suffered exceedingly this Winter the Preservation of which must have been the chief Consideration for a Truce if there were any Fitz-Girald had in his Possession six principal Castles viz Minooth Portlester Rathingan Catherlagh Ley and Athy and having well manned and furnished them he took a Journey into Connaught not doubting but that his Castle of Minooth would hold out till his Return but he was very much out in his Calculation for the Lord Deputy on the fifteenth of March laid Siege to that Castle and placed his Battery on the North Side of the same towards the Park and Sir William Brereton who had slain one hundred of Fitz-Girald's Men on the sixth of March did now summon the Castle of Minooth with Offers of Pardon and Reward to which a scoffing and ludibrious Answer was returned with much boasting after the Irish manner Whereupon the Artillery began to play but made no considerable Breach in a Fortnights time and therefore though it was so closely besieged that there was neither egress or regress from or to the Castle yet being sufficiently provided of all Necessaries and particularly of a good Garrison of an hundred choice men it might have held out
until Fitz Girald could come to relieve it But the perfidious Governor Christopher Parese Fitz-Girald's Foster-Brother a white-Liver'd Traytor resolved to purchase his own security with his Lord's Ruine and to that end got Letters conveyed to the Lord Deputy importing that he would surrender the Castle upon certain Articles by him propos'd all which concerned only his own Profit without mention of his Safety The Lord Deputy readily accepted of the Offer and agreed to the Conditions required Whereupon Parese after some small Advantage they had got in a Sally caus'd the Garrison to rejoyce and carouse to that degree that they were all dead drunk and then upon a Signal given the English scaled the Walls and entred the Castle Captain Holland being one of the first hapned to leap down into a Pipe of Feathers and there stuck and Sir William Brereton being got in cried out S. George S. George whereat one of the Garrison awakened and shot at Captain Holland but he being rescued out of the Feathers by his Companions killed the Souldier After that there was little or no resistance and Sir William Brereton soon advanced his Standard on the Top of the Turret The Spoil and Plunder of this Castle was exceeding great and rich this being accounted the best furnished House belonging to any Subject in the Kings Dominions The Lord Deputy entred in the Afternoon before whom two Varlets James de la Hide and Hayward both Choristers prostrated themselves warbling a sweet Sonnet call'd Dulcis Amica their Melody sav'd their Lives which at the request of Chief Justice Ailmer the Deputy pardoned Parese expecting some great Reward with abundance of Confidence and Familiarity presented himself before the Deputy who told him That he was to thank him on the King's behalf for his Service which saved much Charge and many Lives and doubted not when the King was acquainted therewith he would provide for him during his Life and the better to advise the King how to reward him he desired to know what Fitz-Girald had done for him Parese set agog with this Discourse recounted the most minute instances of Fitz Girald's Liberality to him upon which the Deputy reply'd And how Parese couldst thou find in thy heart to betray the Castle of so kind a Lord And turning to his Officers he bids them pay him the Mony and then to chop off his Head Had I known this quoth Parese your Lordship should not have had the Castle so easily Whereupon one Mr. Boyse being by cried out Auntraugh i. e. too late which occasion'd the Saying often us'd in Ireland Too late quoth Boyse In the mean time Fitz-Girald by the aid of O Connor and others had got an Army of seven thousand Men with which he design'd to raise the Siege of Minooth but upon News of its Surrender his Army deserted him daily and mouldred away almost to nothing Reputation as I observed before much governing the Irish and perhaps all the World beside with the few that were left he marched to Clane and the Deputy leaving Brereton Governor of Dublin marched to Naas where he took sevenscore of the Rebel Gallowglasses whom upon notice of Fitz-Girald's Approach the Deputy commanded to be slain only Edmond Oleme escaped stark naked to his Master Fitz-Girald There was a Bog between both Armies so that the Horse could not skirmish but the Deputy with his Artillery easily broke and scattered Fitz-Girald's inconsiderable Troops put them to flight slew many and took some Prisoners After this Defeat 1535. Fitz-Girald never appeared at the Head of any considerable Army but by small Parties would now and then make some slight Excursions and particularly after the Surrender of Rathingan which hapned in the beginning of the Year he caused a Drove of Cattel to appear near the Town early in the Morning and the English believing that the Cattel strayed that way and might easily be made Booty most of the Garrison sallied to that intent and were intercepted by an Ambush and slain Another time he burnt a Village near Trim and sent two or three of his Men clad like the English Soldiers to Trim and pretending that they were Captain Salisbury's Men they told the Garrison that the Rebel Fitz-Girald was burning the Village Whereupon most part of the Soldiers sallied out and were killed On the 11th of May the Lord Butler was created Viscount Thurles and Admiral of Ireland and on the twenty first his Father the Earl of Ossory and he were made Governors of the Counties of Kilkenny Waterford and Typerary and the Territories of Ossory and Ormond and they promised to do their utmost endeavour to recover the Castle of Dungarvan and to resist the Vsurpations of the Bishop of ROME Lib. H. Lambeth which is the first Engagement I have met with of that kind It seems that the Lord Grey had been sent to England for Supplies and that he now returned with Horsemen and Archers under Sir William Senlo Sir Rice Mansel and Sir Edward Griffith who were conveniently garrisoned in the Pale for I find by a Letter of the twenty first of August to the Lord Cromwel from Chief Justice Ailmer and Allen Master of the Rolls that the Lord Grey Landed the twenty ninth of July and that they came on shoar the first of August and were exceedingly surpriz'd at the alteration they found in the Country for that six of eight Baronies in the County of Kildare were burnt and depopulated and so likewise was part of Meath and that Sir William Brabazon at the Naas was the Man that prevented the total Ruine and Desolation of the Country That Powerscourt which cost five thousand Marks was ruin'd by the Birns and Tools That Fitz-Girald had regain'd Rathingan by the Treachery of the Ward but that he quitted it upon approach of the Army and the Lord Deputy might have surpriz'd him in it if he would or had been as diligent as he ought That O More who joyn'd with the English had so posted his own Men and the Kings that the Rebels were surrounded and Fitz-Girald could not have escaped if a Brigade of the English had not quitted their Station however Burnel of Balligriffin was taken and was afterwards hang'd at Tyburn That the Pestilence raged at Dublin and that the Lord Deputy designed to quarter a thousand Kerns for three Months on the Pale which would ruine it but their Arrival with Money alter'd that to a Cess for this Expedition only whereunto the People chearfully consented That they had engaged Cahir O Connor against his Brother by allowing him twelve Horse and one hundred and sixty Kerns in his Majesties Pay That the Deputy is sick and not able to defend Minooth where he lodges but suffers his own Cattle to be taken from the very Gates That there is no hope of O Neal's Loyalty since he gave no Hostages and finally this Letter highly extols Sir William Brabazon the worthy Ancestor of the Earl of Meath as the Saviour of the
Election and had a Freehold of forty Shillings per annum the Town of Drogheda excepted was repealed and in lieu of it this Parliament enacts I. That Electors in Counties must have Freehold worth forty Shilling per annum ultra reprizas on pain of one hundred Shillings and that the elected in Counties Cities or Towns must be resident and the Sheriff shall forfeit one hundred Pound if he makes a Return contrary to this Act and the Party one hundred Pound more II. That on the Death Absence or Resignation of the chief Governour the Chancellor shall issue Writs to all the Privy-Counsellors in the Counties of Dublin Meath Louth Kildare Kilkenny Typerary Wexford Waterford Cork Kerry and Limerick and they being assembled shall chuse a Lay-man of English Birth to be chief Governour during the King's Pleasure and if no such Man fit for the Place can be got then the Council shall chuse two Lay Persons of English Blood and sirname to be Lords Justices to whom the Lord Chancellor shall administer the Oath and give Patents Note this Statute recites That the former Act already mentioned 10 Hen. 7. That in these Cases the Lord Treasurer should be chief Governour was repealed 13 Hen. 7. although the Roll be lost but whether it be so or not is not worth the Enquiry III. An Act touching mispleading and Jeofailes IV. That although all Estates are forfeitable for Treason yet because several of the Nobility lately created and others whom the King designs to enoble are very ignorant in the Knowledg of the Duty of a Subject they are the Words of the Act to the end they may not pretend Ignorance it is enacted That if any Person confederate with the King's Rebels against his Majesty or attempt any wilful War or Invasion against his Subjects or do transgress their Allegiance in any treasonable manner or do break their voluntary Pacts or Covenants made at the time of the King's Grant that then being convict thereof they shall forfeit all the Benefit and Effect of the King's Patents and for the time to come there shall be a conditional Clause inserted into every Patent to that effect V. An Act for the suppression of Kilmainham and other Religious Houses And in a 3d Session of this Parliament held at Dublin on Monday next after the Feast of All saints anno Dom. 1542 and 34 Hen. 8. it was enacted First That Meath be divided into two Shires viz. Meath and West Meath Secondly That Persons bound by Recognisance to appear in any Court shall be excused if they are in the King's Service and if their Recognisance be estreated they shall be discharged by Writ giving a new Bond for their Appearance at another Day And at another Session of this Parliament at Dublin the seventeenth Day of April 1543 it was enacted That the Castle and Mannor of Dungarvan should be united to the Crown And although all these Acts were Seasonable and very Good for that time yet there was not any one of them was of more Advantage to the Crown or that pleased the King better than that of making him King of Ireland for though it is manifest as the Act mentions that the Kings of England did always enjoy Regal Authority and Jurisdiction in Ireland under the Stile and Name of Lords yet the Irish did not pay that Reverence to the Name of Lord as they did to the Name of King or at least those that were traiterously disposed did make use of the distinction between Lord King Ware 161. to deceive and inveigle the Common People as hath been already related And therefore it being believed That this Statute would suppress and silence all those trifling Objections and Pretences there was exceeding Joy at the Publication of it in Dublin which was performed with great Solemnity at S. Patrick's Church in the presence of the Lord Deputy the Earls of Ormond and Desmond and others of the Nobility in their Parliament Robes and several of the Bishops and Clergy and the same Day a General Pardon was given to all Criminals and after much Feasting and Drinking and other Expressions of Joy the Ceremony was concluded with Bonfires And because some of these Laws were not practicable in Munster which was not so much inured to Civility as the Pale and those Countries near Dublin and where the use of the Laws of England except in some Cities and Towns where it was also much corrupted had been discontinued for almost two hundred Years The Lord Deputy and Counsel in magno Parliamento did publish certain temporary Constitutions Pro reformatione inhabitantium hujus Regni in partibus Momoniae qui nondum sic sapiunt Leges Jura ut secundum ea jam immediate vivere aut Regi possunt and they were notified to the Subject by way of Proclamation the twelfth of July 1542 and were as followeth 1. That King Henry be received and called King of Ireland 2. That Bishops may exercise their Jurisdiction in their Diocess according to the Law of God and the Canons 3. That Laymen nor Boys be not admitted to Ecclesiastical Preferments and that such as be in already shall be immediately deprived 4. That the Demesnes of Bishops and the Gleabs of Rectors and Vicars not exceeding ten Marks per annum be exempt and priviledged from Taxes 5. That all those who have Dignities or Benefices Ecclesiastical shall take Orders and Reside 6. That a General Peace be proclaimed throughout Munster and afterwards he that commits Murder or Robbery shall be fined forty Pound half to the King and half to the Lord of the Fee 7. That Larceny above the value of fourteen Pence shall be punished with the loss of one Ear the first time and tother Ear the second time and the third time with Death 8. No Horseman shall keep more Garsons or Boys than Horses on pain of twenty Shillings 9. That every Father shall answer for his Children Master for his Servants Gentleman for his Followers and Brother for his Brethren under his Tuition and shall give in a List of them 10. That every Kerne that has not a Master that will answer for him be taken as a Vagabond 11. That there be no more Exactions to maintain Horse or Foot or Kernes or to war against one another and that no more Coyne or Livery be taken but by the Deputies Order at a General Hosting 12. That nevertheless the Captain of the County must have the usual Contribution of the Country for the Publick and his own private Defence 13. That Petty Larceny be punished by a Fine of three Pound six Shilling and eight Pence whereof forty Shillings shall be paid to the Captain or Lord of the County and twenty Shillings to the Tanist si non est particeps criminis and six Shillings and eight Pence to the Informer 14. That no Man buy Goods above the Value of five Shillings from any suspected Person at his Peril if they prove to be stolen 15. Depopulatores
the Ordinances already mentioned The Seventh Article is That if any of their Followers break the Peace they will prosecute and pursue him till he make amends And the Eighth is That they will not exact any Black Rents for the future from the Inhabitants of Cork Youghal or Kingsale And it seems that about this time Commissioners were appointed in every Province to decide the Controversies instead of Brehons viz. in Connaught the Bishops of Tuam and Clonfert and the Captains Wakely and Ovington in Munster the Bishops of Cork and Waterford and the Mayors of Cork and Youghal and in Vlster the Archbishop of Armagh and Lord of Louth And it is to be noted Davis 215. That these Submissions were so universally made all over the Kingdom that there was not a Lord or Chieftain of any note in Ireland but submitted in this or the like Form for they made no scruple to renounce the Pope when once they had resolved to obey the King And by these Means the Kingdom was so quiet and there was so great a Prospect of a Settlement that several of the Principal Lords of the Irish took Patents for their Estates and desired Titles of Honour according to the Law of England which hitherto they had despised But alass Ireland is an unfortunate Country that cannot be happy any considerable time and notwithstanding these dawnings of Felicity it must expect nothing but War and Desolation and this fourth general Submission of the Irish will be as vain and ineffectual as the other three and will manifest to the World That that Kingdom is not to be governed by Kindness but by Force But let us not anticipate our Misery by dreadful Prognostications of War but rather enquire into the management of Affairs during the short interval of Peace And first we shall find the great O Neal in September sailing toward England accompanied with the Bishop of Clogher and attended with many Gentlemen his Followers He came to the King at Greenwich where he was well received and having surrendred his Estate to the King and covenanted 1. To renounce the Name of O Neal. 2. That he he and his Followers should use English Habit Language and Manners 3. That their Children should learn English 4. That they should build Houses and husband their Land in English manner 5. That they should obey English Laws and not Cess their Tenants nor keep more Gallowglasses than the Lord Deputy allows And 6. That they should answer all general Hostings as those of the Pale do and shall not succour any of the King's Enemies On the first of October his Estate was regranted to him by Patent and he was created Earl of Tyrone for Life with remainder to his Son Matthew who for the present was made Baron of Dunganon in Tayl and two of his Followers Denis and Art Mac Genis were knighted and the Bishop of Clogher was confirmed and the Earl after his return was on the seventh Day of May sworn one of the Privy Council of Ireland In like manner the Earl of Desmond pursuant to his Promise repaired into England where he was graciously received and having made his Submission he returned with Orders likewise to be of the Privy Council In the mean time the Lord Deputy on the twenty fourth Day of May made an Order of Agreement between the Macgenis's and did the like between the O Carols on the second of July And on the fourth of July the O Birnes did submit by Indenture and granted the Town and Castle of Wicklow to the King and also surrendred to his Majesty the Castle of Mac Eningham and all spiritual Livings in their Possession Lib. D. They also covenanted to find one hundred and twenty Gallowglasses and their Servants for three Months when the Counties of Carlow and Kildare do so and twelve Horse and twenty four Foot at every Hosting and to raise their whole Force and keep them three days on any emergency And it is allowed by the Deputy that O Birn shall have twenty four Kerns called Kerne Tee for this year at the Charge of the Country as is usual wherewith he promises to aid the Sheriff and if O Birn misbehave himself the Lord Deputy may give the Kerns next year to whom he pleases And 't is agreed That no body shall keep Idlers but in his own House and concludes Quod si posthac ad morem Hibernicorum resilierit vel cum Hibernicis aliis susurraverit confederaverit vel consentierit impedire vel obstare Reformationi Hiberniae quam Dominus Rex intendit that then they will forfeit all And it seems that at the same time they proposed to have their Country made a County Davis 104. by the Name of the County of Wicklow and that in consideration thereof they would divide it into eight Plow-Lands and pay ten Groats per annum for ever to the King out of each Plow-Land On the 19th of November Thomas Butler was made Baron of Cahir and in the beginning of the next year Maurice O Bryan 1534. and Vlick Burk induced by the Example and Success of the Earl of Tyrone went to wait upon the King in England and having made their Submissions and surrendred their Estates O Brian obtained a Grant of all his Lands in Thomond and all the Abbies and Patronage of Benefices in the King's Gift within his Precincts to him and his Heirs Males and he was made Baron of Insiquine to him and his Heirs and Created Earl of Thomond for Life with a remainder to Donough O Bryan and his Heirs for ever who for the present was made Baron of Ibracane but whether this Donough were Nephew or Natural Son of the Earl's is not very plain This Lord of Ibrahcan had also an Annuity of twenty Pounds per annum granted to him in Tail and the Abby of Insula Canonicorum and half the Abby of Clare and the King bore the Earl of Thomond's Charges and gave him an Order to be of the Privy Council As for Vlick Burk he had likewise his Charges born and was Created Earl of Clanrickard and his Estate was regranted to him and the Abbies and Patronage of all Benefices within his Precincts The Cocquets of Galway were excepted in the Patent but in lieu of them the Earl had a Pension of thirty Pound per annum and the third part of the First-Fruits and the Abby of Via Nova or Confert And about the same time the Lord of Upper Ossory obtain'd a Grant for Fairs and Markets and the House of the Friars at Haghevo and the Monastery of Hackmacart and to each of these four Noblemen Davis 219. viz. the Earls of Desmond Tyrone Thomond and Clanrickard the King gave a House and a Parcel of Land near Dublin to encourage them to make their Appearance frequently at Court And it is to be noted Council Book of Ireland fol. 73. That many times the chief Governors of Ireland instead of Risings out and
3. To reduce Shane O Neal by force or otherwise 4. To invest the Baron of Dungannon in the Earldom of Tyrone if the Lord Lieutenant think fit 5. To apprehend the O Brians that oppose the Earl of Thomond 6. To make the Clerk of the Council Secretary of State 7. To make a Statute of Uses next Parliament 8. To grant Estates Tayl by Patent to all the Irish that will surrender 9. To reserve the best Rent that was at any time heretofore reserved on the Crown Leases and the Tenant to find a Horseman for every forty Pound Rent and a Footman for every six Pound thirteen Shillings and four Pence and if any Lease be voidable to let the Tenant renew increasing his Rent according to the best Survey 10. To augment the Revenue in granting of Wards and making them sue Livery and to collect and print the necessary Statutes It seems this Lord Lieutenant managed his Affairs well in Vlster 1561. although the Particulars are not recorded any where that I could find Lib. â— for on the sixth day of January Shane O Neal made his Submission to him and thereupon on the twenty second of the same Month he went to England leaving Sir William Fitz Williams Lord Justice 1562. who was sworn on the second Day of February and continued until the twenty fourth day of July and then Thomas Earl of Sussex Lord Lieutenant returned again and finding that the inconstant Shane O Neal had apostatized into Rebellion he prepared as fast as he could to reduce him to Obedience but the Winter approaching so near he was forced to adjourn his Design till the Spring and then on the first day of April he set forward 1563. and on the ninth there hapned a Fray between some Kirne in his Camp to the Slaughter of two or three of them but the Lord Lieutenant by his Authority composed that Matter On the thirteenth of April the English discovered an Ambush laid by Shane O Neal and fell upon them so that one and twenty of the Rebels were killed On the sixteenth the Lord Lieutenant passed over the Blackwater and took a Prey of two hundred Kine And on the twenty sixth he came back to Dundalk On the first of June he advanced again to Dungannon and quartered there and the next day came to Tulloghoge and undestanding that O Neale and his Party were in a Fastness not far off the English attacked them and drove them farther into the Woods And on the third of June the English took eighty Cattle and killed four or five Rebels And on the fourth the Army returned to Armagh And on the sixth day of June they took a Prey of three thousand Kine and one thousand five hundred Garons and Mares which were divided among the Soldiers and so the Army returned to Drogheda Hereupon O Neal being shrewdly terrified Cambden 121 and being also advised by the Earl of Kildare made his Submission to the Lord Lieutenant and promised to do the like in England which he performed in the presence of the Embassadors of Sweden and Savoy and upon his Promise of amendment he was taken into Favour and the Queen gave him some Presents and lent him two thousand five hundred Pound and ordered Sir Thomas Worth and Sir Nicholas Arnold whom she sent Commissioners into Ireland to establish a College at St. Patrick's Church c. to make an Enquiry about a Complaint that O Neal had made That one John Smith had design'd or attempted to poyson him After his Return home he behaved himself civilly and loyally for some time he assail'd the Scots and slew their Captain James Mac Conal and drove them out of Vlster he protected the poor from Injury and was orderly in every thing except his Tyranny over the Lords and Gentlemen of Vlster whom he challenged to be his Vassals Whereupon Macguire and others complained to the Government but O Neal disdaining to have his Princely Claim tried in a Court grows enraged at Macguire for putting the Dilemma upon him either of running into Rebellion again or submitting his Title to the Lord Lieutenant's determination 1564. and in this Fury O Neal invades Fermanagh expels Macguire burns the Cathedral Church of Armagh and besieges Dundalk but the Valour of the Garrison preserved the place till William Sarsfield Mayor of Dublin and a choice Band of Citizens raised the Siege nevertheless O Neal spoil'd and wasted the adjacent Country The Lord Lieut to revenge this proceeded briskly against O Neal Burlace 126. but before he could bring his Designs to perfection he was recalled in his time the Country of Annaly was made Shire-Ground and is called the County of Longford and Connaught was divided into six Counties Clare Galwey Sligo Mayo Letrim and Roscomon he also erected a kind of a Post-Office for the better Correspondence between England and Ireland Holingsh 114. And yet there are some who not without probability attribute these good Works to Sir Henry Sydny On the first of February there hapned a bloody Conflict between the Earls of Ormond and Desmond Lib. P. at Athmean or Affane in the County of Waterford where the latter lost two hundred and eighty of his Men but not long after the Lord Lieutenant was recalled and Sir Nicholas Arnold 1565. Lord Justice was sworn the twenty fifth of May and had an Army or rather a Garrison of fifteen hundred and ninety six Soldiers with which he made a shift to keep what he had but he did not enjoy that Honour long before Sir Henry Sydny Knight of the Garter Lord President of Wales came over Lord Deputy he Landed on the thirteenth of January and was sworn the next Sunday after being the twentieth he was received with great joy being a Person of whose excellent Government that Kingdom had long Experience and when he received the Sword he made an eloquent and pithy Speech to this effect setting forth what a precious thing good Government is and how all Realms Commonwealths Cities and Countries do flourish and prosper Hooker 111. where the same is orderly in quiet Justice and Wisdom directed and governed Secondly What a continual Care the Queens Highness hath had and yet hath not only for the good guiding and ruling of the Realm of England but also of Ireland which she so earnestly desireth and wisheth to be preserved as well in Peace as in War That she hath made great Choice from time to time of the most Grave Wise and Expert Counsellors for the one and the most Valiant Skilful and expert Men of Arms for the other That both in Peace and Wars the publick State of the Commonwealth and every Member therein might be conserved defended and kept in Safety under her Government And for the performance thereof her Majesty over and besides the Revenues of the Crown of Ireland did yearly far above any of her Progenitors expend of her own Coffers out of England great Masses of Money
Barony of Idrone from the Cavenghs by the Judgment and Decree of the Lord Deputy and Council The Lord Deputy summoned a Parliament which accordingly met at Dublin on the seventeenth day of January 1568. 1568. The Deputy appeared in Robes of Crimson Velvet lined with Ermin and after an Eloquent Speech from the Lord Chancellor Weston in commendation of the Law and her Majesties Government the Commons departed to their House and chose Stainhurst Recorder of Dublin for their Speaker who being approved by the Deputy on the twentieth of January made his Request as is usual First For Priviledge of Parliament that the Members might come and go without Molestation Secondly for Freedom of Speech Thirdly That the Punishment of any Offender should be lest to the House all which were granted and the Houses adjourned to the next Day But the Popish Party were dissatisfied that Sir Christopher Barnwel was not chosen Speaker and therefore began to Mutiny alledging First That several Members were returned from Towns not Incorporated Secondly That certain Sheriffs and Mayors had returned themselves Thirdly That several Members were returned that were so far from being resident according to Law that they did not know the Corporations that chose them And after four days debate and many high Words the matter was referred to the Judges and they approved of the two first Objections but as to the third they said that the return of Non-residents might be Penal to the Sheriffs but did not incapacitate the Member that was returned to sit in the House But the Judges Answer being reported to the House by the Speaker did not at all please the Papists and therefore Sir Lucas Dillon who was Attorney General was sent for to the House to testifie that it was the Judges Opinion and his also that the Non-resident Members might sit in the House Hooker 120. but neither did this satisfie them On the contrary when the Speaker ordered a Bill to be read the Mutineers opposed it in a very dissorderly manner and so it rested till the two Chief-Justices the Queens Serjeant at Law Attorney-General and Solicitor came to the House the next day and affirmed their Opinions and Resolutions as already mentioned Nevertheless the Male contents who were loth to part with their Irish Captainries and exactions continued their endeavours to obstruct the Proceedings of this Parliament and opposed almost every Bill that was read especially that of repealing Poyning's Act pro hac vice and the Bill for an Impost upon Wines but this had been tolerable if their Behaviour had not been unruly and unbecoming the dignity of that great Assembly Hereupon my Author John Hooker Burgess of Athenry stood up Hooker 121. and spoke to the Bill for the impost on Wine and took an occasion to mention the great Charge the Queen was at for the Defence of the Kingdom and the Protection of the Subject and then reflected on the Rebellions and Ingratitudes of the Irish because the former occasioned that vast Expence and the latter hindred that Contribution which ought to supply it he affirmed the Queen might by her Prerogative have imposed Tonnage on Wine but it would be more pleasing to her to receive it by their Consents expressed in an Act of Parliament and concluded with a comparison of the Mutinies of the Irish against the Lord Deputy to that of the seditious Israelites against Moses The discontented Members were hereupon enraged against Hooker and behaved themselves so tumultuously that some of the Protestants found it necessary to guard him Home to Sir Peters Carews House to prevent the violence they suspected or rather perceived to be designed against him and the next day Sir Christopher Barnwell stood up in the House to speak to a Bill but he pretermitted all that was pertinent and instead of that spent his discourse in Reflections upon Hooker affirming that if Hooker's Calumnies had been uttered any where but in that House they would all have died rather than have suffered them but he was at length interrupted by the Speaker and told That if he had any cause of Complaint he should bring in his Impeachment regularly and in writing but it seems he did not think sit to do so and these Heats cooling by degrees the Parliament at length proceeded with good Success and made these following Acts. I. That in lieu of Coin and Livery and for the Queens Assistance she shall have a Subsidy of thirteen Shillings and Four-pence per Plow-land for ten Years for every Plow-land occupied or manured Cross and Clergy-Land included and a Commission to issue to ascertain Plow-lands and Dublin Cork Kingsale and all priviledged Places to be free from Subsidy for the Corporation Lands and certain Gentlemen for their Demean Lands and Coin and Livery Cartings and Carriage to be suppressed II. A limitation of places for Tanning Leather Repealed III. A Confirmation of the Attainders made by Parliament 28. Hen. 8. And of the Estates of the Patentees in the then forfeited Lands IV. That five of the best of every Tribe shall answer for all the Dammages committed by any of their Family and though this Act be since repealed yet it was a very good Law at that time V. To revive the Acts of Forestallers Servants Wages and Jeofails And so being adjourned to the twenty first day of February they then met and Enacted that Statutes concerning the good Governance of the Kingdom and the augmentation of Her Majesties Revenue may be made in this Parliament non obstante Poyning's Act. And on the twenty third of February the Parliament sat again and Enacted I. The attainder of Shane O Neal and the extinguishment of the name of O Neal and that the Queen be entituled to the Country of Tyrone and other Lands in Vlster II. An Act to make Trinity-Term shorter III. An Act to entitle Her Majesty to the Estate of Thomas Fitz Girald Knight of the Glin. IV. An Act for the Preservation of Salmon and Eeel-Fry V. An Act against laying Hemp Flax or Limed Hides in any fresh River or running Water VI. That whereas Persons have been admitted to Ecclesiastical Dignities which had neither Legitimacy Learning English Habit or English Language but were the Issue of unchast and unmarried Abbots Priors Deans Chantors and such like getting into the same Dignities by Force Symony or other undue Means therefore the chief Governor of Ireland shall for ten Years to come have the sole nomination of all Deans Archdeacons Chantors Chancellors and Treasurers of Cathedral Churches in Munster and Connaught those of Waterford Cork Limerick and Cashell excepted and no Man shall be presented unless he be of full Age and in Orders and can read and speak English and will reside VII That no Man take upon him to be Captain of a Territory without a Patent for it or use any sort of Irish Exactions on Pain of an Hundred Pound for a Lord and an Hundred Marks for a Commoner VIII That no Bill
and a few Volunteers and some Sea-men came to the Deputy and were very kindly received and the Disloyalty of the City was remembred at another time In Clonmel the Lord Deputy was nobly Treated in the Town-House which he requited by a most excellent Speech in commendation of Loyalty and thence marched to Cashil and in his March took a Castle held by Sir Edmond Butler and restored it to one Cantrel who was the right Owner 1569. and so he came to Cork where he found four hundred Soldiers newly arrived out of England under the Command of the Captains Shute and Ward as by his Letters to England he had desired From Cork the Lord Deputy made a step into Kirricurry and took the Castle of Carigoline and afterwards he marched into Orrery and took Butâ—ivant and so designed for Kilmallock but James Fitz-Morrice got there before him and took the Town by the help of scaling Ladders and finding that he could not keep it he burnt and destroyed as much of it as he could However the Lord Deputy marched thither and having given all the Encouragement that he could to repair and reedifie Kilmallock he setled a Garrison there of an hundred Horse four hundred Foot and some Kern under Colonel Gilbert who was made Governor or Colonel of Munster and so having taken the Oaths and Hostages of the Lords Roch Courcy Decyes Power and of Sir Cormock Mac Teige and many other Gentlemen and Freeholders of the Counties of Cork and Limerick he marched directly to the City of Limerick The Earl of Ormond came to the Lord Deputy at or near Limerick and brought with him his Brother Sir Edmond Butler who in the open Camp submitted to Mercy acknowledging his Follies and craving Pardon and thereupon he was set at Liberty upon the Earl's Recognisance for his appearance at Dublin and accordingly he did appear there on the sixteenth day of October together with Pierce Butler another Brother of the Earl's and both of them were indicted of High Treason However it seems that Pierce was afterwards bailed but Sir Edmond being a Cholerick Man did reflect upon the Lord Deputy and attributed all to his Partiality and alledged that the Lord Deputy did threaten him and would do him no Justice and vented many more such passionate expressions and therefore had not the favour of being bailed but was committed close Prisoner to the Castle of Dublin from whence in a very short time after he made a strange and hazardous escape by the help of a small Rope which broke within three yards of the ground and so bruised him that he could not go far so that he was forced to stay all that cold Winter-Night up to the Chin in the Water to prevent his Discovery However about three Months after viz. on the last of February the Earl of Ormond did again bring Sir Edmond and the rest of his Brothers before the Lord Deputy and Council at Dublin and there after a short Commitment and humble Submissions they were all pardoned for the sake of the Earl and perhaps by special Orders from the Queen who by the Mother was related to this Noble Family Cambd. Eliz. 138. and used to boast of the untainted Loyalty of the House of Ormond In the mean time Colonel Gilbert behaved himself so well in Munster that the Earl of Glencar and his Follower Mac Donogh were forced to come to him and to submit on their Knees craving Pardon for what was past and offering Hostages for their future Behaviour and afterwards that Earl came to Dublin to a subsequent Session of the Parliament and in the Presence-Chamber and in Christ-Church made most Pathetical Submissions on their 〈◊〉 and were Pardoned but the Collonel Gilbert being 〈◊〉 his good Service Knighted at Drogheda the first of January 1569 got leave to go to England and there he 〈…〉 a rich Widow and was not long afterwards drowned and thereupon Sir John Penott was Lord President of Munster In Leinster Sir Peter Carew had reduced the Cavenaghs to that low Condition that they were forced to submit to Mercy simply and without Stipulation and in Connaught Sir Edward Fitton by valour in the Field and severe Justice in the Courts did so quail the stubborn Hearts of the Rebels that his Province had but very little disturbance except what was given by the Earl of Thomond who could not brook the Severity of the President it seems he complained to the Lord Deputy before he entred into Rebellion for on the twenty third of April 1570. Lib. H. the Earl of Ormond was sent to treat with him but that Treaty proving ineffectual there ensued a smart Battle or rather Skirmish wherein the Earl of Thomond was worsted Contra Barkers Chron. 343. and Cambd. and thereupon he fled into France where he met with the English Ambassador Norris by whose means the Earl was pardoned Eliz. 153. and afterwards proved a very good Subject and did considerable Services to his Queen and Country Turlogh Lynogh whom I have already mentioned to have assumed the Name of O Neal was about this time shot in the Belly with two Bullets out of a Caliver by one of the Doniloghs who was a kind of a Jester he was at Supper with his Wife Aunt to the Earl of Argile when he received this Misfortune and though the Wound proved not to be Mortal yet it was so near it that the Auxiliary Scots began to think of deserting him 1570. and his own Country were in Factions about the choice of a new O Neal Lib. H. however he at length recovered and made an attempt to invade the Pale but the Scots dispersed for want of Pay so that O Neal was glad to treat with Justice Dowdall and the Dean of Armagh the Queens Commissioners and they came to an Agreement in O Neal's Camp at Dungannon on the twentieth day of January Lib. H. which was afterwards ratified by the Lord Deputy on the thirteenth day of March. On the eleventh of February the O Feralls or Ferells surrendred their Interest in the Annaly or County of Longford and took part of it back again at the Yearly Rent of an Hundred Marks c. The publick Expence for three Years viz. From Michaelmass 1565 to Michaelmass 1568 paid out of the Exchequer amounted unto Eighty eight Thousand nine Hundred thirty eight Pounds nine Shillings and eleven Pence whereof I suppose at least one half was remitted from England and yet the Lord Deputy was so Industrious in the Collection of the Revenue that he got twelve Hundred Pound of Hugh O Donell for the Arrears of Rent due for many Years past and the Queen was so intent on the Reformation and settlement of Ireland that she sent over Robert Leeth a Surveyor about the Year 1568 to make a true Survey and an exact Map of that Kingdom But Pope Pius the Fifth having by his Bull of the fifth of March 1569. Cambd. Eliz. 146. â—ulminated
and to grant Leix and Offaly to English Undertakers Lib. H. and the Queen promised him that besides the Irish Revenue twenty thousand Pounds per annum should be punctally remitted him out of England quarterly And Sydny undertook for that Sum to fortifie Carrigfergus and to build some Bridges and to keep the whole Kingdom in Subjection The Lord Deputy found Vlster in a Flame Surleboy had assaulted Carrigfergus and kill'd Captain Baker and forty Men and though by the Valour of the rest of the Garrison the Scots were repelled and the Prey rescued yet this small Victory gave the Rebels such Reputation that the Lord Deputy found it necessary to leave the Custody of the Pale with certain Gentlemen of Note and to march with his small Army of six hundred Men into Vlster he found all the Country ruined except the Newry where Marshal Bagnal dwelt and the Glins and Routs 〈…〉 which Surleboy and the Scots possest and some part of Killultagh but it happened luckily that Turlogh Lynogh and Surleboy could not agree so that they came to Blows with various and alternate Success Hereupon both Parties address'd themselves to the Lord Deputy who finding Turlogh to be more high and extravagant in his Demands than the other came to an Agreement with Surleboy which was followed by the Submission of Mac Mahon and one of the Macguires And O Donel and the Chief of the Macguires did also by their Letters offer to pay their Rents and Services due to the Queen by former Agreements provided they might be secured under the Queens Protection and be delivered from the Exactions of O Neal. By these Means and the diligent prosecution of the War against him Turlogh Lynogh was reduced to extremity so that first he sent his Wife a well bred Lady Aunt to the Earl of Argile to the Lord Deputy at Armagh who in her Husband's behalf Petitioned him that Turlogh might be Nobilitated and his Estate setled by Law that so for the future he might live in order in the sence of his Duty and Gratitude to her Majesty but whilst these things were under consideration Turlogh himself without any previous Provision for his Security came to the Lord Deputy and submitted simply without Capitulation or Conditions and so having staid two days he had liberty to return home Vlster being thus quieted the Lord Deputy Marched to Dublin and having setled things there he visited Leinster and found the County of Kildare almost waste and the King's County and Queens County groaned under the Tyranny of Rory Oge but by the perswasions of the Earl of Ormond Rory came to the Lord Deputy and publickly made his Submission in the Church of Kilkenny The Lord Deputy was very well received by the Townsmen of Kilkenny and nobly treated by the Earl of Ormond but while he staid there he received the unhappy News of Sir Peter Carew's Death to whose Burial at Waterford on the fifteenth of December the Lord Deputy was invited and went This Sir Peter Carew whose Ancestors had been Marquesses of Cork Lib. F. laid claim to a mighty Estate in Munster being half of the ancient Kingdom of Cork viz. Imokilly Trybarry Muskry Kinalea Trycoursy Carbry Kinalmeaky Collymore Collybeg Ivagh Synnagh O Donovan Wintervary Bantry Bear Clandonough Cleighboigh Iveragh Kirricurry Clanmorris Iraghticonnor Duhallow and Coshbride And he sent his Agent John Hooker to Cork Hooker 13â— where he had a solemn meeting with Mac Carty Riagh Cormock Mac Teige of Muskry Barry Oge O Mahon O Driscoll O Daly and others and they made this Proposal that they would advance three Thousand Kine with Sheep Hogs and Corn proportionable for the present and that if Sir Peter would live amongst them they would annually pay what should be reasonable and to his good liking whereupon Hooker did take a House for Sir Peter at Cork and another at Kingsale but as Sir Peter was going that way he died on his Journey at Ross in the County of Wexford the 27th day of November 1575. The Lord Deputy was magnificently received and treated at Waterford and from thence he marched to Dungarvan where the Earl of Desmond met him and so by easy Journeys they went together to Cork and there he stayed six Weeks during which time the Soldiers for half their Pay had Lodging Diet and Firing to their content and without the grumbling of the Citizens The Earls of Thomond and Glencar and the principal Gentry of the Province came to wait on the Lord Deputy at Cork and there they kept their Christmass and as soon as that was over the Lord Deputy began his Sessions and sat in Court almost every day from the seventh day of January to the one and thirtieth Condom and a younger Son of the Lord Roch were Condemned and though they were Reprieved yet there were twenty three other notorious Malefactors Executed and the better to discover Vagabonds and Tories every Gentlemen was commanded to give in a List of his Dependants and to answer for them and Proclamation was made That every Iâ—ler that was not named in one of those Lists should be punished as a Felon and a Vagabond to which the Irish Lords and Gentlemen gave their Consents with seeming Joy and every one of them gave in Pledges of his Loyalty to the Lord Deputy Whilst the Deputy was at Cork he had information of the Disloyalty of the Seneschal of Imokilly and of the Depredations and Violences he daily committed and thereupon being attended by two Hundred Citizens of Cork besides his own Forces the Deputy marched to Ballymarter and took that strong Castle and had taken Fitz Girald himself but that he narrowly escaped through a Hole in the dead of the Night There was abundance of Victuals found in the Castle besides other things of value but all the Spoil was given to the Soldiers and so a Garrison of twenty Men under Jasper Horsy being left in the Castle the Lord Deputy returned to Cork The Lord Deputy was so well pleased with Sir Cormack Mac Teige of Muscry that he gave him this Character in a Letter of his sent to England That for his Loyalty and Civil disposition he was the rarest Man that ever was born of the Irishy and in another Letter to the Lords of the Council he observes that the Lord Poer lived more plentifully than those that had far more Land and that his barren Land yielded more Rent than the richer soil of Kilkenny and Decyes and the reason was because he kept his Territory in order and free from Idlers and Vagabonds whereas on the contrary the Lord of Decyes was scarce able to subsist because his Country harboured more bad Men than it fed good Cattle From Cork the Deputy went to Limerick where he was entertained with more Pomp than any where else there he kept Sessions and observed the same Methods as he did at Cork and then he marched into Thomond which formerly belonged to the English Lords of Clare
used all his Tricks to prevent it but finding all other Devices fruitless in shew of kindness he invited the President to his House in Traly the President accepted the Invitation and with an Hundred and forty Persons went into Kerry keeping Sessions as he went Desmond had seven Hundred or eight Hundred Men ready to surprize and Murther him but when the President understood what condition he was 〈◊〉 he encouraged his People all he could and making a Vertue of Necessity resolved rather to give than receive the Charge which he did so bravely that the Rebels were amazed and fled The Countess of Desmond was much troubled at her Husbands Folly and prayed the President to believe that the Earl had assembled those Men only for a general Hunting to welcome his Lordship and desired him to be satisfied He temporized with the Earl at her Request but nevertheless kept Court and Sessions in Kerry whereupon Desmond having no other way with great Clamour impeach'd the President to the Deputy especially for taking of Cesse The Mac an Earla's Clanrickard's Sons were up again in Connaught â— and had gotten two thousand Scots to their Assistance they besieged Ballyriagh or Logreagh one of the Earl of Clanrickard's Castles but Thomas Lestrange and Captain Collier who lay in Garrison there with fifty Horse and an hundred Foot defended the Place so valiantly that they forced the Rebels to raise the Siege with the Slaughter of six Captains and an hundred and fifty of their Souldiers whereat the Rebels were so neâ—led that they immediately fell upon Mac William Oughter and wasted his Country but upon the Approach of the Lord Deputy the Rebels dispersed and thereupon the Deputy divided his Forces and by the help and intelligence of Mac William Oughter he met with and defeated several small Parties of the Irish and killed many and executed some and so having restored Mac William to most of his Castles and being informed that the Scots were retreated to the Routs and the Glinns he Knighted Sir Nicholas Malby and according to the Queens Orders left him Governor of Connaught and then returned to Dublin on the thirteenth of October In the mean time Walter Earl of Essex who had made a second Expedition into Vlster and proceeded successfully there by the means of his Enemies received many Affronts from Court and at length was forced to resign his Command in Vlster with the grief whereof or as others say with a Dissentery he died at Dublin on the twenty second day of September 1576. Sir John of Desmond had repudiated his own Wife to marry the Sister of Mac an Earlas though she was the rejected the Wife of O Rourk and by this means he held Correspondence with his Brothers-in-Law and assured them Aid out of 〈◊〉 if they would hold out but a little longer But this Treason being discovered Sir John was imprisoned and the Earl of Desmond was suspected but â—e was so narrowly watched and so briskly managed that he durst not stir but in his criminal Followers to be tried by â—aw which formerly he had refused to do But it was not the Earl of Desmond alone that was malecontent the Lords of the Pale also began to repiâ—â— and publickly complain'd of the Cess and the father because the Priviledges and Exemptions that some of them claimed were now suppressed by Proclamation whereupon they Petition'd the Lord Deputy and had a Day appointed to make out their Grievances at which time they alledged That they had Liberties and Priviledges which were invaded by the Cess Hooker 145. that the Cess was arbitrary and unreasonable that it exceeded ten or twelve Pounds a Plow-Land and that no Tax could be put on them but by Act of Parliament At another Day the Chancellor answered That the Liberties they pretended to were some void some expired and the rest not to be found on Record that the Cess should be ascertained to five Mark per Plow-Land if they pleased That it was the Queens Prerogative to impose it and that it had been Levied ever since the time of Edward the Third and that Necessity and Self-Preservation required it But the Defendants not contented Cambd. Eliz. 219. with that Answer appeal'd to the Queen and sent over three-Lawyers to negotiate for them viz. 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 and sent Letters by them to the Queen and Council Dared the Tenth of September Subscribed by the Lords 〈◊〉 Delvin Houth Trimleston c. in the Name of the English Pale The Queen referr'd them to the Council who examined the Lords Kildare Ormond Gormanstown and Dunsany then in England and they all agreed That Cess was constantly imposed time out of mind but prayed there might be Moderation in Levying it Whereupon she finding that the Design of the Petitioners was to oppose her Prerogative sent the Agents to the Prison of the Fleet and ordered the Deputy to do the like with the Petitioners if they persisted in their Sedition but nevertheless the Cess should be moderated and all irregularities in the Levying it punished but the Petitioners were arrogant and stubborn and were therefore committed to the Castle of Dublin and their Agents were imprisoned in the Tower of London but afterwards they submitted and were Pardoned and the Cess was reduced to five Marks per Plowland However the Irish according to their custom of scandaliâ—ing and aspersing every thing that opposes them did 〈◊〉 the Deputy with Calumnies and Impeachments not at all regarding how true or false the Articles were or else this could never be one of them Hooker 147. That the Lord Deputy wanted 〈◊〉 in his Government because it is manifest that he was one of the wisest and most prudent Viceroys that ever governed that Kingdom But whilst these Controversies about the Cess were under Debate and James Fitz Morris who had been at Rome and in Spain was daily expected home 〈…〉 and O Connor with an Hundred and forty 〈…〉 Country and taking the advantage of the 〈…〉 Inhabitants of the 〈◊〉 who celebrated their 〈…〉 with the same Riot and Excess as the Pagans did their 〈◊〉 and so were dead Drunk they surprised that Town and burnt it Rory Oge himself 〈◊〉 like Nero at the Market-Cross rejoicing at these 〈…〉 thence he marched towards Leighlâ—n burning and destroying the Country in his March and particularly the Village at Leighlâ—n Bridge But George Carew who lay there in Garrison being ashamed to be so served issued our with seven Horse and five Shot and valiantly attacked the Tories who by this time were two Hundred and Forty they were surprized and fled but at length perceiving though in the Night the small number of the 〈◊〉 they rallied and pursued the English to the 〈◊〉 and some of them got within the Gaâ—e but were beaten out again in this 〈…〉 Captain 〈◊〉 and sixteen Tories were slain and the English lost two Men and one Horse and all the rest were wounded Rory Oge continued his Depredations and burnt many
Superstition that the Irish Priests who are the most ignorant Clerks in the World could lead these Noblemen by the Nose into the greatest Folly Ingratitude and Disloyalty that ever was known so that henceforward we must expect to find these English Lords in open Rebellion with the Irish against the Crown of England The victorious Malby encamped that night by the Abby of Monaster Neva and after two or three days removed to Rakele and encamped there a Party of the Earl of Desmond's came confidently within a Mile of the Camp but were well beaten for their pains and some that were taken Prisoners discovered many of Desmond's Designs and that he had been in the Field ever since the Battel of Monaster Neva but they needed not to be so nice in their Examinations for that very Night put the Matter out of doubt and Desmond and his Brother did personally assault the English Camp but came off as they used to do with Loss and Disgrace however the Marshal thought it necessary to remove to Askeaton having first setled a Garrison at Rakeal and he performed what he designed although the Enemy did frequently skirmish with him in his March and then having notice of the Deputy's Death he placed Sir William Stanly and Captain Carew at Adare and sent the rest of the Army to other Garrisons Hereupon the Rebels insulted at a great Rate bragging that they would take all the Garrisons and Sir John of Desmond with four hundred Foot and fifty Horse actually besieg'd Adare so that the Garrison durst not peep abroad till their victuals failed them and then Necessity whetted their Courage and made their Swords as sharp as their Stomachs so that Sir John was forced to retire The English had but one small Cot which would hold about eight Men and by help of it an hundred and twenty Men of the Garrison of Adare were wafted over the River Hooker 162 into the Knight of the Glinns Country and being unexpected there they did great Execution but they staid so long that the Knight of the Glin and Sir John Desmond had got together thirty Horse and four hundred Foot some Irish and some Spaniards and overtook them and entertain'd a brisk Skirmish for about eight hours nevertheless the English made good their Retreat without any considerable Loss and killed about fifty of the Enemy Sir William Pelham Lord Justice was chosen by the Council 1579. and sworn in Christ-Church Dublin on the eleventh of October and immediately he Knighted the Lord Chancelor Gerard and youg Edward Fitton After Dinner Cambd. Eliz. 239. the Council sate and directed Letters to all the considerable Irishmen to confirm them in their Loyalty particularly to Pheagh Mac Hugh Sir Hugh O Reily Sir Hugh Macguire Turlogh Lynogh c. and they also appointed the Earl of Ormond to be Governor of Munster and Sir Warham Saint-Leger to be Provost Marshal thereof and ordered Desmond's Son to be conveyed to the Castle of Dublin to be safely kept The Lord Justice having dispatched the Chancellor to England to inform her Majesty how Matters stood in Ireland and having committed the Care of the North-Borders to the Earl of Kildare marched into Munster taking with him the three Bands lately brought from Berwick by the Captains Walter Case and Pikeman he came to Kilkenny the nineteenth of October and kept Sessions two Days and sate in Person insomuch that Edmond Mac Neil and other notable Traytors were then executed and he also reconciled the Earl of Ormond and the Lord of Upper Ossory At Cashel the Earl of Ormond came to him with two hundred and thirty Men and hence his Excellency sent Letters to the Earl of Desmond to repair to him that he might reconcile him and Sir Nicholas Malby thence he went to Limerick where he was well received and the Mayor Presented him with a thousand Armed Citizens here also he was met by Malby and the Army and the next day he went to a Village called Fannings where he gave Orders for a General Hosting or Rising out and thither came the Countess of Desmond with Letters from her Husband Hereupon the Earl of Ormond was sent to expostulate with Desmond upon sundry Articles whereto he returned a trifling Answer on the the thirtieth of October complaining of old Injuries c. Wherefore other Letters were sent from Crome where the Lord Justice then was but to no purpose for though Desmond protested Loyalty yet he would not come to the Camp nay he was known to act rebelliously even while he was writing his Protestation for the Lord Justice being removed to Rakeal was allarm'd by some Rebels whereof four being killed one was found to be Desmond's Butler and himself was not far off wherefore he was Proclaimed Traytor in the Camp the second day of November 1579. unless he should surrender himself in twenty days and immediately the Army proceeded to destroy his Country with Fire and Sword And it must not be omitted that the Lords of Gormanstown and Delvin who were of the Council and attended the Lord Justice in this Expedition were so tainted and corrupted with Popery that they refused to sign the Proclamation against Desmond for which they were afterwards severely reprimanded by a Letter from the Lords of the Council in England On the third of November the Lord Justice removed to Puble O Bryan and Mustered the Army and so leaving two hundred and fifty Horse and eight Ensigns of Foot with the Earl of Ormond he returned to Limerick The Earl of Desmond thought to divert the Army from farther prosecution in Conilogh by making an Incursion into Imokilly and being there at the request of the Seneschal of Imokilly he attack'd Youghal and finding small resistance he easily took and afterwards plundered that Town whereupon the Earl of Ormond sent Captain White and a Company of Soldiers in a Ship from Waterford and they valiantly entred into the Town by the Water-gate but being over-powered by the numerous Forces of the Seneschal's White and most of his Men were slain and the rest with great difficulty escaped to their Ship Hereupon Desmond grew so insolent November 20. 1579. that he wrote an arrogant Letter to the Lord Justice importing that he and his Brethren were entred into the Defence of the Catholick Faith under the Protection of the Pope and the King of Spain and advised the Lord Justice to joyn with him and nine days after he wrote Circular Letters to such of the Lords and Gentlemen of Leinster as he thought to be rebelliously inclined the Form of which Letters may be seen in the following Letter which he sent to Pheagh Mac Hugh MY well beloved Friend I commend me to you It is so that I and my Brother are entred into the Defence of the Catholick Faith and the overthrow of our Country by English Men which had overthrown the Holy Church and go about to over-run our Country and make it their own and to make us
with nineteen Spaniards and fifty Irish under one Julio an Italian Engineer The Lord Justice coming to view it had like to have been killed with a Musquet Shot nevertheless he persevered in his Resolution and caused the Castle to be battered with three Cannon a Culverin and a demy-Culverin till a Breach was made at which Captain Macworth entred and took the Castle putting fifty to the Sword and six he took and executed them in the Camp the Captain Julio was preserved two or three days for certain Considerations and then not complying with the Lord Justices Expectations he was Hanged On the third of April 1580. the Army sat down before Askeaton which is a very strong Castle built upon Rocks and of very difficult Access nevertheless the cowardly Garrison were so frightned with the example of Carrigifoyl Cambd. Eliz. 240. that they basely deserted the Castle the first night of the Siege having first layed a train of Powder which burned great part of the Castle but did not prejudice the principal Towers The same day George Carew and others with three Companies attempted Ballyloghane another Castle of Desmond's which the Garrison upon sight of them likewise deserted but not so timely but that being closely pursued many of them were slain Now was Desmond dispossessed of all his Castles and therefore the Lord Justice leaving four Companies at Askelon returned to Lymerick on the fifth of April as Ormond did to Kilkenny Malby to Connaught and others to Dublin However the Army tho in Garrison was not ildle but behaved themselves effectually as they found Occasion even the Lord Justice himself went by Sea from Lymerick to Adare and sent Captain Case by Land and both returned after the slaughter of many Traytors with a Prey of twelve Hundred Cows and many Sheep At Lymerick the fifteenth of May the Lord Justice received a Comâ—ission from the Queen to be Lord Justice and another 〈…〉 Sir William Burk Baron of Castleconnel with a Yearly Pension of an hundred Marks during Life On the thirteenth of May Sullevan 101. Walsh ' s Loyal Remonstrance Pope Gregory the thirteenth granted to all the Irish that would fight against the Queen the same plenary Pardon and remission of all their Sins as to those that are engaged in the Holy War against the Turk On the seventeenth of May a separate Commission of Martial Law was granted granted to the Lord Rooh and Sir Cormack Mac Teig of Muskry with Power to give Protection for fifteeen days to any other than the principal Rebels On the fourteenth day of June the Lord Justice invaded and destroyed Clanawliff and thence marched through Slevelogher to Kerry and on the fifteenth took a Prey of two Thousand Kine and many Sheep and mist but little of surprizing the Earl of Desmond and Doctor Sanders this last being fain for haste to leave his Gown behind him he took another Prey the next day at Castlemange nevertheless the Army being ill payed began to Mutiny and some of them refused to march with the Earl of Ormond into the Mountains of Kerry but by the Lord Justice's Discretion this Sedition was appeased and the Mutineers were Pardoned On the eighth of July the Popish Lords of Munster appeared before the Lord Justice at Limerick and being charged with Correspondence with the Rebels and negligence in Prosecuting them all of them except the Lord Barry submitted and promised future Loyalty and were ordered to maintain two thousand Men during the War and to give Pledges of Performance but the next day they thought the Charge too heavy and therefore were confined to their Chambers till they sent their Pledges soon after Sir Cormock Mac Teig was dismissed with Favour and an Order to the Country to assist him in his Attempts against the Rebels because he had promised to do some considerable Service which he very luckily effected for James of Desmond on the fourth of August invaded Muskry and took a Prey from Sir Cormock Mac Teig Cambd. Eliz. 240. then Sheriff of the County of Cork whereupon his Brother Daniel Mac Teig assembled what Force he could get together to rescue the Prey it was briskly disputed between them and the issue was the Desmonians being an Hundred and Fifty were beaten and most of them slain and Sir James being taken Prisoner was brought to Sir Warham Saint Leger and Captain Rawleigh who caused him to be Hanged Drawn and Quartered at Cork In August Ormond dislodged from Adare and marched to Buttevant where a strange kind of Sickness called afterward in England The gentle Correction seized the whole Army it took them in the Head and for two or three Days they lay Senseless and then recovered few or none died of it though by the Violence of the Disease it was not expected that many could recover Ormond divided his small Army into two Parts and marched with one half to Castle-Island and the other he sent to Traley in Kerry where all met and then dividing into three Parts marched to Dingle and as they went they drove the whole Country before them whereby they took a Prey of eight thousand Cows besides Garrons Sheep c. and slew a great many People and had slain more but that Sir William Winter who was then in the Harbour of Ventry with some of Her Majesties Ships gave many of them Protections This Winter was Vice-Admiral of England and came to cruise about the Coast and to prevent the Spaniards Landing if they should come but he had not the Patience to stay or else believed they would not come in the Winter so he returned home before they came In the mean time the Earl of Desmond was reduced to great Extremity more of his Followers having perished by the Famine than were destroyed by the Sword so that the Countess came with Tears in her Eyes to intercede for her Husband August and Sir John Desmond and Doctor Sanders endeavoured to fly to the Lord of Baltinglass who was up in Leinster but they were like to be intercepted by the Garrison of Kilmallock who met them and their two Servants and took the Servants whilst the Masters escaped so they were forced to return to Kerry and had been taken there but that a false Brother gave them notice of the Design however they took two Fryers and a Prey of two hundred and thirty Kine and slew divers of the Rebels In the mean time the new Lord Deputy landed at Dublin on the twelfth of August and immediately sent for the Sword but the Lord Justice did not think fit to part with it until he personally surrendred it which he made no haste to do but instead of going directly to Dublin having left Sir George Bourchier Collonel of Munster with two thousand eight hundred and twenty Foot and three hundred ninety five Horse and given him and others proper instructions he rode to Killalow where the unconscionable Bishop demanded thirty Pound for one Nights grazing for an Hundred
Barryescourt and the Seneschall of Imokelly placed an Ambush for him at Corabby which Captain Raleigh manfully Encountred and Defeated or at least broke through them so that he came safe to Corke On the 25th of July one Eve Published Seditious Letters at Waterford importing that the Pope and the King of Spain and Duke of Florence had made a League to assist the Irish with Ten thousand Foot and a thousand Horse of the Popes Fifteen thousand Foot and a thousand five hundred Horse of the Spaniards and Eight thousand Foot and an hundred Horse of the Florentines and that the Irish should Elect a King of their own Nation and reject Elizabeth as a Bastard and a Heretick and republish the Bulls of Pius Quintus against her c. And it was true that the Prince of Conde brought such a League to the Queen which he said was made at Rome the 20th of February 1580. About the same time the Lord Baltinglass wrote an Answer to the Earl of Ormond assuring his Lordship that he had but two Councellors one that said Fear not those that can kill the Body only c. and the other bids us obey the higher Power for he that resisteth it resisteth God seeing then the highest Power upon Earth Commands us to take the Sword and to Fight and Defend our selves against Traytors and Rebels which do seek only the Murdering of our Souls he is no Christian that will not obey Questionless it is a great want of Knowledge and more of Grace to believe that a Woman Incapax of Holy Orders should be the Supream Governour of Christ's Church a Term that Christ did not grant to his own Mother You should consider that if Thomas of Becket Bishop of Canterbury had never suffered Death in the defence of the Church tho Butler alias Becket had never been Earl of Ormond c. and about the same time he wrote to a Merchant of Waterford to provide him Ammunition and Arms for which he would pay him to content In the mean time Captain Zouch who lay at Dingle lost a great many of his Men by sickness nevertheless when he understood that the Earl of Desmond and David Barry had assembled three thousand Men near Ahado in Kerry he Marched with the Remainder of his small Brigade to Castlemange and upon a sudden surprized them so that the Earl was fain to fly in his Shirt and shift for himself as well as he could he fled to Herlow-wood a very great fastness but being Necessitated to pass near Killmallock the Garrison there under Bourcher Dowdall Macworth and Norris pursued them into the Wood and were like to take the Earl but did take a great Pery and some of his Carriages and killed a great many of his Followers About the same time Fitzgirald commonly called Seneschaâ— of Imokilly preyed the Country about Lissmore and slew twenty five of the Garrison that sallied to recover the Prey The Lord Deputy appointed Archbishop Loftus and the Earl of Kildare Governours of the Pale during his intended Progress and they had a General Rendevouz at the Hill of Taragh in July and then the Earl with two hundred Horse and seven hundred Foot by the order of the Council went to Parly with the Lord of Baltinglass but to no purpose and thereupon the Earl unadvisedly returned to Dublin and the Enemy taking advantage of his Retreat Burnt Newcastle in the County of Wicklow 1581. In the mean time the Lord Deputy Marched to Munster and made Captain Zouch Governour of that Province and then returned to Dublin by the way of Connaugh Zouch kept his head Quarters at Corke and had Intelligencil that there was a great Feud between David Barry and the Seneschall of Imokelly and that they both lay on Dunfrinâ—en side of the Blackwater and that the Earl of Desmond and his Brother John lay on the other side of the River in Condens Country and that they were very active by their Messengers to procure a Reconcillation between Barry and the Seneschall but were hindred by the great Floods from Negotiating it personally as they designed whereupon Captain Dowdall sent one Richard Mac-James to the Irish Camp as a Spy to whom one of the Desmonds Messengers not mistrusting him discovered that Sir John Desmond designed to come and reconcile the aforesaid Parties the next Morning but I know not by what Artifice the Spy perswaded the Messenger to go to Corke and tell his own Story but 't is certain thereupon Zouch and Dowdall leaving the Government of Corke to Captain Raleigh Marcht on Hooker 175 pretending for Lymerick and by break of Day they got to Castlelyons and so Marching forwards to an Wood and placing some Shot between the Wood and Sâ—â—anâ—cally adjacent Bogg they met two Gentlemen in the Wood who happened to be Sir John of Desmond and James Fitz John of 〈◊〉 both which they took and Executed and which is most strange as Mr. Sullivane tells the Story 〈◊〉 great Hero was so daunted at the sight of the English Sullivan 99 that he was not able to mount his Horse tho at other times he was an active man But Zouch not contented herewith but remembring that David Barry and Gorin Mac Swiny had lately prayed Carbery and passing by Bantry had encountred the Garrison which Sallyed and kill'd every one of them but one was now resolved to revenge it and therefore fell upon their Army and routed them and this Defeat reduced Barry to the necessity of begging pardon which at length he obtain'd And so Munster being pretty quiet and no news of the Earl of Desmond the Munster Forces were reduced to four hundred Foot and fifty Horse But the Lord of Lixnaw and his Son pretending injuries from the Governour took advantage of the reducement of the Army and boldly went into Rebellion again and his beginning was very successful for he slew Captain Achin and the Garrison of Adare except some few that saved themselves in the Abby and recovered that Fortress also he took the strong Castle of Lisconnell by Stratagem and threw the Garrison over the Walls and tho he fall'd in his cunning design on the Castle of Adnagh yet he ranged over the Countries of Ormond Tipperary and Waterford without resistance Wherefore Zouch not able to endure these affronts with his small Army of four hundred Men March'd into Kerry and came to Adare which the Lord Lixnaw had forsaken and thence he March'd to Lisconnell Wood where he met the Baron with about 700 Men who upon the first Charge â—led and left their Goods and Cattle behind them Thence the Army March'd to Glyn Castle where Sir Henry Wallopps and Captain Norris's Companies being 200 men came to them from the Lord Deputy hence the Governour went to Lymerick leaving Captain Powdall to pursue the Baron who soon met with him near Glanflisk and defeated his Forces again Hooker 177. killing â—n hundred and forty of them and taking a Prey of 800
Kine 500 Horses besides Sheep Goats Money Cloarsh and Victuals with which he supplied the Garrisons and return'd to Adaro where he left a Garrison and return'd to Cork this misfortune quite spoil'd the Lord of Lixnaw so that he was never more able to hold up his head but most submissively applied himself to the Earl of Ormond who got him a Pardon tho he had formerly suffered very great injuries from him No sooner was this storm of the Lord of Kerryes allayed but the Earl of Desmond appear'd again near Adare and Skirmished smartly with the English so that having lost many men they had much ado to recover the Abby of Adare where they lay in Garrison About this time a contention arose between the Macan Earla's Vlick and John Burk on the Death of their Father but it was refer'd to Commissioners who ordered that Vlick should have Loghreagh and the Earldom of Clanrickard Lib. H. and that John should have Leitrim and that the Commissioners should intercede to have him created Baron of Leitrim and both of them agreed that if either proved a Traytor to the Queen the other should have all One Birne a Rebel being weary of that sort of life offer'd to Captain George Carew to bring his Captain Fitz-Giralds Head to him on condition to have his own Pardon but Fitz-Girald had timely intelligence and prevented the Execution of that Plot by Executing Birne and his Complices nevertheless he was so frightned with this attempt that he offered to do the like by Pheagh Mac Hugh for his own Pardon but Pheagh also had seasonable notice or a strong suspicion of this design and fairly hanged his Friend Fitz-Girald in his stead But this good Deputy by the contrivance of the Rebels was represented at the Court of England as a bloody man that regarded not the lives of the Subjects any more than the lives of Dogs Spencer 73. but had tyrannized with that barbarity that there was little left for the Queen to Reign over but Carcasses and Ashes And this false Story being believed in England a general Pardon was sent over to such of the Rebels as would accept thereof 1582. and the Lord Deputy in the midst of his Victories was recalled so that in August he left Ireland to the care of Adam Loftus Archbishop of Dublin Lord Chancellour Sir Henry Wallop Treasurer at Wars Lords Justices two men very unfit to be yoak'd together Spencer ' s View 76. the difference between them being no less in their minds and affections than it was in their bodies and professions Their Government was auspicated with the Death of Dr. Saunders Sullevan 100. who died miserably of a Flux and Famine in the Woods of Clenlis whereby the Kingdom was rid of a malicious cunning and indefatigable Traytor And the Earl of Desmond was reduced to such streights that he was forced to keep his Christmass in Kilquegg Wood near Kilmallock whereof the Garrison of Kilmallock having Notice they were induced by the importunity of John Walsh to endeavour to surprize him 4 January and in order to it they March'd in the night under the conduct of the Captains Dowdal Bangor and Thornton and came before Day to the River side and by means of some Hurdles which tied together and fastned with Ropes to a Tree on this side the River and made one of their men Swim over with the end of a Rope which he also fastned on the other side they safely passed the River but made so much noise that Desmond and his Wife took the Alarm and got out of their Cabbin into the River where they stood up to the Chin in Water on the Bank-side and thereby were undiscovered and escaped but his Servants were all kill'd and what Goods they had were carried away Soon after this Fitzgirald of Ballimartir commonly call'd Seneschall of Imekilly surpriz'd Youghall and entred one end of the Town but was so warmly receiv'd by Lieutenant Calverleigh and forty Shot he had with him that the Seneschal was forced to Retreat and leave fifty of his Men dead behind him About the end of January the Earl of Ormond Landed at Waterford with 400 Men which were disposed of to the Captains Bourcher Stanley Barkley and Roberts This Earl was also made Governor of Munster and procured two Pence a Day to be added to the Soldiers pay which gain'd him abundance of Love and Respect from the Army Ormond's first Attempt was in Harlow Wood in Pursuit of the Earl of Desmond he divided his Party into four Squadrons and searcht the Wood throughly Slew many Rebels and so dispersed and frightned the rest that they never met in any considerable Body afterwards but most of them one after another submitted and had Pardon and on the 5th of June Desmond wrot a submissive Letter to the Earl of Ormond which is to be found in the Caballa of Letters 223. In August the Garrison of Killmallock had fresh Advice 1583. that Desmond with 60 Gallowglasses was come into Harlow Wood whereupon Captain Dowall so timed the matter that he took 25. of them asleep in their Cabbins and the rest who were boiling Horseflesh he quickly Discomsited and Slew In September some of the Lord Roches Men met the Earl of Desmond in Duhallow accompanied by three Horse-men and a Priest they endeavoured to take him but being well mounted they all escaped except the Priest who discovered what Misery the Earl was in and that he was supported chiefly by one Goron Mac Swiny who was in Protection whereof Ormond having notice sent Captain Dowdall and a Garrison to Dingle whereupon the Earl retired into the Country of Desmond and got the greatest number of his Followers together that he could and particularly the said Goron and his Brother Morrogh Mac Swiny by whose Assistance he hoped to renew the War But it fell out otherwise for Goron Mac Swiny having taken a great Prey in Carbry three Irishmen who owned some of the Cattle followed them at some distance expecting an opportunity at night to Steal back their own Cattle or an Equivalent and to that end they hid themselves within a Musket-shot of Goron's Camp or Lodgment and it so happened that Goron and a Servant both unarmed walkt that way and came near the place where the three Men were hid and as soon as they perceived that Goron and his Servant were unarmed they surprized them and cut off their Heads and being satisfied with this Revenge they ran away to shift for themselves Desmond was beyond measure dismayed at this loss and saw there was no way to recover it unless he could regain such of his Followers as had taken Protection of the English and therefore in order to it or to be revenged of them he sent some of his Servants over the Strand of Traly to take a Prey which they did but a poor Woman of the Moriartas whose small Stock was all taken away by these Tories immediately repair'd
his House and the next day proclaimed him and Walter Riagh and their Adherents Traitours Some of those Rebels Heads were brought in daily but on the 30th of January Girald Brother of Walter Riagh with fourscore Men came and burnt Crumlin within two Miles of Dublin This bold Attempt obliged the Deputy to another Journey to Ballynecor he set out the first of February and continued fortifying at Ballynecor till the 20th at which time he return'd to Dublin having destroy'd Girald and James the two Brothers of Walter Riagh and some few more of the Rebels and about the beginning of April Walter Riagh himself was taken in a Cave by Sir Henry Harrington and sent to Dublin where he was hanged in Chains On the 11th of April the Deputy began another Journey into the Country of Wexford 1595. and for some time encamped at a place called Money and it seems the manner of encamping then was in small Cabbins built on purpose and not in Tents as it is in foreign Countries He returned to Dublin the 15th of May having taken the Wife and Sister of Pheagh Mac Hugh and slain or executed several of his followers In the mean time the North was unquiet and Monaghan was in distress for Tyrone notwithstanding all his Oaths and Asseverations Camd. Eliz. 494. did now again appear publickly in Rebellion wherefore on the 24th of May Marshal Bagnall who was Lieutenant General in this Expedition marched with 1500 Foot and 250 Horse from the Newry and encamped that night at Eight-Mile-Church Tyrone with 1500 Horse appeared within half a Mile of the Camp but without skirmish retired on the 25th the Army marched eight Miles farther and at a Pass were opposed by Tyrone but after a Skirmish of three hours the English forc'd the Pass and marched that night to Monaghan and obliged Macguire and Mac Mahon to raise their Siege The English encamped that Night on a Hill by the Abby of Monaghan and the Irish being united made up 8000 Foot and 1000 Horse and drew up within a Mile of them however they did nothing more than allarm the English once or twice that night but the next day they guarded all the Straits and Paces resolving to hinder the return of the Army but the Marshal having recruited the Fort of Monaghan with Men and Victuals marched homeward another way which the Rebels perceiving they hastened to possess a Strait which the English must of necessity pass through and there they entertained a smart Fight to the slaughter of twenty Englishmen and the wounding of ninety their own loss amounted to three or four hundred but if the Rebel's Powder had not been all spent this Encounter had been more unfortunate to the English That night the Royalists were forced to lodge in the midst of the Enemy which might have been fatal to them if the Rebels had had any Amunition left they sent to Dungannon for supply but none came so that the Queen's Army got back safe to Newry the Irish not thinking they would take that way being in the mean time busie to obstruct their March towards Dundalk General Norris and other Captains brought over 2000 old and 1000 new Soldiers which the Deputy had seasonably sent for and they were refreshing themselves in their Quarters the better to enable them for some great Undertaking In the mean time Captain George Bingham June and the Ward in the Castle of Sligo were betray'd and murthered by Vlick Burk and the Castle was taken Sir John Norris had the Title of Lord General Camd. Eliz. 509. and a Commission to have the sole Command of the Army in Vlster in the absence of the Deputy The clashings and janglings that were between these two high spirited Men did very much prejudice to the Queen's Affairs however on the 18th of June they began their March together and lay that Night at Melliâ—ont and the next at Dundalk on the 23d Tyrone O Donell O Rourk Macguire and Mac Mahon were proclaimed Traitours both in English and Irish This perjured Rebel Tyrone after so many reiterated Oaths and Protestations had besieg'd and taken the Fort of Blackwater and invaded the Brenny and laid Siege to Monaghan in April last and publickly appear'd in Rebellion and yet at the same time he wrote Letters to the Earl of Ormond and Sir Henry Wallop to intercede for his Pardon promising future Allegiance he also wrote Letters to General Norris to the same purpose which indeed were intercepted and suppress'd by Marshal Bagnall till after the Proclamation but what seems most strange Camd. Eliz. 508. is that whilst this was doing like a shameless Ambo-dexter he offered his service to the Earl of Kildare to revenge the Injuries that Earl had suffered from the State and in September following Tyrone and O Donell wrote Letters to the King of Spain offering or rather promising the Kingdom of Ireland to that Majesty if he would supply them with 3000 Men and a little Treasure These and many other of his Tricks being discovered the Queen resolved never to pardon Tyrone and of that opinion she continued to her dying day though at last she was prevail'd upon by her Council to act contrary to her own sentiments in that particular but she was willing to pardon O Donell or any or all of the Confederates that would separate from O Neal and she gave Orders accordingly The Rebels were 1000 Horse and 6280 Foot in Vlster and 2300 in Connaugh many of them well disciplined for Sir John Perot to save Charges arm'd the Irish in Vlster against the Islander Scots and to taught them the use of Arms to the ruine of Ireland and Sir William Eitz Williams took several Irish into the Army and improvidently sent others of them into the Low-Countries where they became excellent Soldiers and returned to be stout Rebels But 't is time to return to the Deputy who left Dundalk the 24th O Mc lloy carrying the Standard that day as O Hanlon did the next the 28th they came near Armagh and saw a Troup of the Enemy's Horse at a distance the 29th they marched a mile beyond Armagh and took a resolution to fortifie it On the 30th the Rebels gave two Volleys of Shot into the Camp and yet did no harm on the 3d of July the Deputy leaving a Garison in Armagh marched nine Miles towards the Newry but being supply'd with Victuals he return'd to Armagh on the 5th and marched to Monaghan on the 7th and afterwards to the Pace of the Moyry and so to Dundalk and Dublin where the Lord Deputy arrived the 18th and in all these Marches though the Enemy appear'd in view yet being light of Heel and cowardly of Heart there happened not any Encounter or Skirmish worth mentioning On the 11th of August General Norris who was also Lord President of Munster marched the Army northward but it seems he could not hinder but that all the Cows of the Newry were taken by the Rebels he
and stronger Order than they and such means to keep from them the maintenance of their Life and to waste the Countrey which should nourish them your Majesty may promise your self that this Action will in the end be successfull though costly and that your Victory will be certain though many of us your honest Servants must sacrifice our selves in the Quarrel and that this Kingdom will be reduced though it will ask besides Cost a great deal of Care Industry and Time In June Sir Henry Harrington and some of his young Captains with 600 Men left in the Glinnes received a Baffle from the O Brians by their own fault which Essex punished by Decimation and the Execution of an Irish Lieutenant Pierce Walsh on whom the blame of that Disaster was chiefly laid But the Lord Lieutenant understanding the Queen was angry at his fruitless Munster-Expedition attributed the fault to the Council and assured Her Majesty by Letter of his speedy March to Vlster and yet instead of that he went with 2500 men into Leix and Ophaly and totally ruined the O Moors and O Connors and on his return found his Army so impair'd that he and the Council joyn'd in a Letter for a supply of 1000 Men. And being now resolved for Vlster he ordered Clifford Governour of Connaugh to march to Belick to distress Tyrone on that side accordingly he march'd with 100 Horse and 1400 Foot but being encountered by O Rourk and 200 Rebels at a Pass our Men being tired and wanting Powder were routed 140 slain together with Clifford and Sir Alexander Ratcliff and as many wounded nay they had all been lost were it not for the valour of the Horse who secured their Retreat and so the next day they marched back to Athloan Essex received the supply of 1000 Foot he had sent for into England and yet made no other attempts against Tyrone than that with 250 Foot and 300 Horse he came to the borders of Vlster about the lattter end of August and on the 8th of September held a Parley with Tyrone at the Ford of Balla-clinch Camd. Eliz. 570. and concluded on a Truce for six weeks and so from six weeks to six weeks till May provided either Party might break it on fourteen days notice before hand and on the 22d of September he gave a Commission to the Council of Munster or any three of them to govern that Province Quorum Sir Warham Saint Leger or Sir Henry Power to be one Soon after his return to Dublin Camb. Eliz. 572. Essex and the Council received a sharp Letter from the Queen dated the 14th of September taxing his and their ill Conduct and Disobedience to her positive Commands whereat he was so nettled that he immediately went for England where he unexpectedly came to Court on the 28th of September and being reprimanded for that Vagary Lib. C. his Apology was in effect That no harm had followed his rash Deserting Ireland that he left things in the best order and in the hands of the best Men he could and left so good Instructions that they have not been much altered since and that he came over in a time of Truce Adam Loftus Lord Chancellour Sir George Cary Treasurer at Wars Lords Justices were sworn the 24th of September whereupon Tyrone grew haugthy and publickly profess'd that he would recover the Liberty of Religion and his Countrey To him came Fryar Matthew de Oviedo titular Archbishop of Dublin and Don Martin de la Cerda they brought Papal Indulgencies for all that would take Arms against the English and a Phoenix Plume to O Neal and 22000 pieces of Gold from the King of Spain to distribute as they saw cause Hereupon O Neal in the beginning of December gave notice that after fourteen days he would break the Truce and soon after viz. the 20th of January under pretence of a Pilgrimage to the Holy Cross in Typperary he made a Journey into Munster to confer with the Sugan Earl of Desmond and to debauch those people from their Duty he had with him 2500 Foot and 200 Horse de deposed Daniel Mac Carty Moor and placed Florence Mac Carty in his stead he burnt and spoiled all that would not joyn with him especially the Lord Barry and he took Pledges of all those whose zeal he doubted and particularly of the White Knight and the Earl of Desâ—ond and by his Journey wonderfully encreased the number of the Rebels so that there were very few Irish that had not intelligence with him or shewed manifest inclination to him they were also very much encouraged by the death of Sir Thomas Norris Lord President of Munster who dyed at Mallow of a wound he had received in a Conflict with the Burks as also by the death of Sir Warham Saint Leger one of the Commissioners of Munster on the death of Norris who taking the air within a Mile of Cork was assaulted by Macguire and both of them slain so that it was now high time to provide a Govenour for the Kingdom and a particular President for that Province and the Queen shewed abundance of judgment in her choice of both Sir George Carew afterwards Earl of Totness was appointed Lord President of Munster and Charles Lord Montjoy Lord Deputy they landed at the Hill of Hoath the 24th of February 1599. The Lord President stayed at Dublin some time to get his Commission and Instructions and to learn the State of the Kingdom and on the seaventh of April 1600. with 700 Foot and 100 Horse being accompanied with his Excellency to Chappel Izzod he went to his Province Lib. C. and on the seventh of March 1599. the Lord Deputy and Council issued a Proclamation to give notice that the Queen had appointed Commissioners to sit three months to enquire what Money was due to the Subject by Bill Ticket or otherwise since the first day of Sir William Russel's Government for Bieves Diet of Soldiers Money delivered or other Services in order to their Satisfaction On the 10th of April the President being at Kilkenny 1600. was desired by the Earl of Ormond to go with him eight Miles to parley with Owen Mac Rory O Moor which he did and the Issue was Pacata Hibernia 24. that by the Treachery of the Rebels Ormond was taken Prisoner and the President and the Earl of Twomond hardly escaped by the swiftness of their Horses whereupon Pierce Lacy who was lately come into Protection relapsed again On the the 16th of April the Lord President came to Waterford where some Fitz-giralds of the Decyes and some of Powers submitted to him and were pardoned The Lord Lieutenant on the 10th of March went to Mulingar to intercept Tyrone in his return from Munster but he having notice of that design left 1000 Men with Desmond and 800 with the Butlers and with a small Company and by exceeding long Marches escap'd into Vlster but he lost his Reputation and many of his Men in this hasty
and O Crowlyes of Carbry submitted and came under protection but they relaps'd when the Spaniards landed at King-sale And on the 29. August Cahir Castle was surrendred voluntarily by James Galde by the means of his Brother the Lord of Cahir And about the same time Mac Donough Mac Auliff and O Keef likewise made their submissions The Sugan Earl and Peirce Lacy being enrag'd at the Knight of Kerry's submission invaded his Country but were forc'd by the Knight to return faster then they came two of their Captains and sixteen of their Men being slain And soon after Sir Charles Wilmet took Ardart Castle in Kerry after a good Defence made by the Ward Honora ni Brien Sister to the Earl of Thomond and Wife to the Lord of Kerry invited the famous Maurice Stack to Dine with her at Beauliew where she caus'd him to be barbarously murder'd and the next day her Lord also hang'd his Brother Thomas Stack who was his Prisoner However Wilmot so manag'd his Affairs that the Sugan Earl was forc'd to leave Kerry and in his passage to Arloghwoods was set upon by the Garrison of Kilmallock and 120 of his best Men slain and 80 wounded and 150 Arms and 40 Horses taken as also 300 Garrans loaden with Baggage and all their Cows and Sheep whereby the Earl was quite undone and his Forces scattered and himself forced to fly into Typerary and Ormond and his Brother and Piers Lacy retired into Vlster It is observable that the Irish were so blindly devoted to Popery Cambd. Eliz. 584. that many of those that had been Loyal sent to Rome for a pardon for their sin in not entring into Action and a Dispensation for the time to come from entring into open Rebellion In the mean time the Queen by the Advice of Sir Ro. Cecil and the Lord President sent over James only Son of Garret last Earl of Desmond attended and equipp'd according to his Quality in hopes he might regain the Followers of his Family and reduce them unto their Obedience and Duty His Patent was sent to the President to keep or give it as he should see cause and a Company of Foot was cashier'd for his maintenance which was to be in the President 's House for fear of the worst when he came to Cork the Inhabitants finding he was a Protestant refus'd to entertain him so that he was fain to obtrude himself upon the Mayor where he supp'd and after Supper he wrote a Letter of this usage to the Lords of the Council but the Mayor told him No Letters should go out of his House but what he saw However the Earl sent away his Letters Lib. D. D. D. and the Queen on Notice hereof ordered the Lords of the Council to reprimand the Mayor c. which they did to purpose by their Letter of 10. November 1600. Upon this Earls first coming to Kilmallock multitudes flocked thither to see him and pay their Duty to him but as soon as they saw him go to Church they all forsook him yea cursed him and spit upon him however he prevail'd with Thomas Oge Constable of Castlemayn 4. November to deliver that Castle and two of Peirce Lacy's Sons into his Custody which was all the Service he did or could do whilst he staid in Ireland But it is worth noting that Florence Mac Curty upon the President 's Word came to him to Mallow and assur'd him of his Loyalty by all the Oaths and Asseverations imaginable and yet whilst he was in the House he wrote Letters to Thomas Ogeâ— not to surrender Castlemayn and assured him of Reward and Relief so exceedingly falshearted was this mighty Hypocrite and these Letters were by the diligence of Mr. Boyle afterwards Earl of Cork intercepted However at length he submitted and put in two Pledges on the 29th of October In the mean time Wilmot had taken the Castle of Clancoyne by Sir Fra. Barkly and on Notice that the Lord of Kerry and Knight of the Glin were in the Woods with 80 Men he pursued them so close that he slew 60 of them and narrowly mist the two principals And on the Fifth of November he sat down before the Castle of Listoel and after a good Defence and ten days time it was surrender'd to him together with the Lord of Kerry's Son and all his Chattels About the same time Sir Richard Pearcy sent part of the Garrison of Kingsale to Carbry where near Kilco they took a Prey of 300 Cows and in November took another Prey of 200 Cows in Kinalmeky and now some difference arising between the Cartyes and Learyes about some stolen Cows they had a Battle at Ahakery where O Leary and ten of his men were slain The Lord of Muskry would have reveng'd the slaughter of his Followers but the President would not permit him lest thereby he should put the Country in confusion and make such a Flame as he could not quench In the mean time the Lord or Chief of Muskry was underhand dealing with O Neal whom he advis'd not to trust any of English Extraction and assur'd him he would dissemble with the President until Aid should come and Florence Mac Cartie levied 1000 Bonaughs in hopes of Recruits they daily expected from Connaugh and Vlster and indeed Forces were there assembled for their assistance and they would have Invaded Munster but that Redmond Burk expected great matters from the President and therefore would not disturb his Province and the Sugan Earl was jealous of the Bonaughs and every body was doubtful of Florence Mac Carthy and so this great cloud vanished and the Rebels dispersed into Ormond and Typerary Sir Charles Wilmot drew near to the Abby of Ratoo in Kerry whereupon the Rebels burnt it however he met 100 Bonaughs under Mortagh mac Shihy whereof he slew 40. Dermond O Connor whose Wife was Sister to the Queen's Earl of Desmond was so well pleas'd with the Honours the English did his Brother-in-Law that he resolv'd to come to him and to do some service acceptable to the State and accordingly he obtain'd Pasports but Tybot ni Long who had a Company in the Queens Pay pretending ignorance of his Pasport in favour of the Rebels fell upon him in Claâ—riccard and slew 40 of his men and took him Prisoner and the next day cut off his head whereupon the Queen took away Tybbott's Company from him On the 18th of November the President kept Sessions at Limerick and afterwards at Cashell and on the 28th of November at Clonmell where the Earl of Ormond met him and promis'd to expel the Rebels out of his Palatinate and in order to it in January his Forces assail'd the Rebels slew 40 of them and particularly Thomas Burk Brother of Redmond and took 30 Arms and forc'd Redmond and his Followers into the River Nore where 70 of them were drowned and many with their Baggage taken and particularly John Burk another Brother of Redmonds who was soon after executed at Kilkenny
march'd to strengthen the Earl of Thomond's Quarter 4. Levison tow'd his Ships out of Kingsale Harbour 5. A Scotch Vessel having eighty Spaniards on board 6. put them into Vice-Admiral Preston's hands and the same day Levison destroy'd the Spanish Ships at Castlehaven Many of the Provincials of Munster revolted and joyn'd with the Spaniards as did also O Donell's Army and O Conner Kerry surpriz'd Carigfoyle A small Skirmish with the Spaniards 8. and Tyrone's Army discovered in view The Camp fortified 9. 10. 11. The Spaniards made a slight Sally 12. Bad Weather 13. 14. The Artillery plaid 15. 16. The Spaniards made a Sally 17. and broke down a Platform Bad Weather 18. 19. Artillery plaid 20. and the Camp was fortified Tyrone appear'd between the Camp and Cork 21. and the Spaniards sallied ineffectually The same was repeated 22. The Artillery plaid 23. On the 24th of December hapned the famous Battle between the Lord-Deputy on the one side and Tyrone and Odonell and their Irish and some Spaniards on the other which I forbear to describe because is is done at large Pacata Hibernia 233. It will be enough to say that it ended in a glorious Victory the Rebels being totally routed and 1200 of them slain upon the place and above 800 wounded without any loss at all on the English side except one Cornet and five or six Souldiers nor did those Rebels that fled escape scot-free for Tyrone lost many of his Men and Carriages in his hasty passage over the Blackwater and they which passed through Connilogh suffered as much by the River Mage and met with a severe rebuke at Abby-owny It is strange that this Battle being fought within a mile of Kingsale the Spaniards in the Town should know nothing of it and yet it is certain they made no Sally till the Battle was over and even then they sallied twice to little purpose On the 28th Syriago with more Spaniards arrived at Castlehaven but finding that the Irish Army was beaten he wisely return'd home and on the 31st Don John de Aguila offered a Parly which after several expostulations centered in a Peace upon honourable Conditions recited at large in Pac. Hib. 245. On the 9th of January the Camp was dissolved and Don John rode with the Lord-Deputy to Cork and the Deputy dispersed his Army into Garrisons in Munster for their refreshment and sent the Captains Harvy and Flower to receive the the Castles of Dunboy Castlehaven and Baltimore from the Spaniards pursuant to the Capitulations and accordingly they were all surrender'd except Dunboy which the Irish surprized and soon after Forts were erected at Halbowling and Castlenipark and the like was intended at Baltimore and Beer-haven The Corporation of Kingsale had their Charter restor'd upon their Petition on condition nevertheless that the Townsmen should repair their Walls at their own charge and 2000 of the Army in List were cashier'd to lessen her Majesties charge On the 20th of January the Cardinal of St. George wrote a Letter to Tyrone Lib. C. stufft with fulsom Commendations of him and with passionate Exhortations to persevere in the defence of Religion the Letter began Illustrissime Excellentissime Princeps c. Several petty Accidents happened in Munster as the taking of Capeclear-Castle by Captain Harvy who was Governor of Carbry from Ross to Bantry and the slaughter of 18 of Donough Moyle mac Carty's men by the Lord Barry the execution of William mac Hubbard and the submission of Sir Finin O Driscol and Sir Owen mac Carty's Sons But I am not willing to make this History more voluminous than needs must and therefore I pass by many trivial Matters especially such as are at large to be found elsewhere and particularly in Pacata Hibernia On the 28th day of March 1602. the Lord Deputy came to Dublin in a Horse-litter being very much indispos'd however he disposed of the Army which was in List 16950 Foot and 1487 Horse into Garisons convenient for the Summer-service and it must not be forgot that this victorious Army did out of their Pay give 1800 l. to buy Books for the Library of the Colledge of Dublin which was faithfully laid out by Dr. Challoner and Mr. Vsher The Lord-Deputy being pretty well recovered marched to Dundalke and in the beginning of June came to the passage over the Black-water five Miles eastward of the Fort and sent Sir Richard Morison's Regiment to the North-side of the River and then he built a Bridge over the River and a new Fort to guard it which he called Charlemont and having left Captain Cawfeild and 150 Men in Garison there he sent Sir Richard Morison's Regiment to possess Dunganon but on their approach the Town and Tyrone's great House were purposely set on fire however they went thither and were followed by the Deputy and the rest of the Army Sir Henry Dockwra who had lately planted a Garison at Ony came also to the Deputy at Dunganon whereupon Tyrone retired to the Castle Row upon the Ban and the English wasted the Country as far as Eniskilling and took the Island of Magherlowny which was Tyrone's Magazine and another Island wherein they recovered three Pieces of the Queens Artillery Sir Arthur Chichester also came with his Forces from Carrifergus by the way of Loghsydny and being joyned by Morison's Regiment they built the Fort of Montjoy which was left with 850 Foot and 100 Horse under the Command of Francis Row Deputy-Governor to Sir Benjamin Berry and so the Victuals being almost spent the Army was forced to divide and Sir Henry Dockwra had directions to prosecute Tyrone from Ony by the way of Dungeven in O Canes Country and Sir Arthur Chichester was to do the like by the way of Toome and the Deputy himself resolv'd to assault him by the way of Killetro and so he marched to Monaghan on the 19th of July and having setled a Garison there and destroyed the Country and placed Connor roe Macguire on the borders of Fermannah he came to the Newry About the 10th of August Sir Arthur Chichester from Masserine and Sir Henry Danvers from the Newry had orders to march and besiege the strong Fort of Enislaghlin wherein most of Tyrone's Plate and choice Goods were deposited and accordingly they did attack that Fort and had it surrendred to them in a day or two and on the 19th of August the Garison were brought Prisoners to the Newry On the 20th of August the Lord-Deputy took the Field and encamped between Newry and Armagh and understanding that Tyrone was in Fermanagh he marched over the Bridge near Fort-Mountjoy and placed a Ward near Dunganon and and staid five days near Talloghoge and broke the Chair of Stone wherein the Oneals used to be inaugurated and destroyed the Country Here Sir Henry Dockwra with some Horse came to the Deputy and brought O Cane who had lately submitted And about the same
time Macguire also submitted and promis'd to repair Eniskilling at his own charge and the Earl of Tyrone with about 600 Foot and 60 Horse were retir'd into an inaccessible Fastness at the end of Logherne But there being a Rumor that the Spaniards were again landed in Munster Sir Henry Dockwra was posted at Agher and Sir Arthur Chichester at Fort Montjoy and the Lord Deputy on the 11th of September return'd to Newry and soon after to Dublin and in November Rory O Donell and most of the O Relyes submitted unto him Morison 249. and on the 12th of November the Earl of Tyrone sent him an absolute Submission very handsomly worded and yet at the same time he wrote to O Connor Sligo not to make a separate Peace but that they should stand or fall together In the mean time Sir Oliver Lambert had driven the Burks and their Mac William out of the County of Mayo and on the 18th of November the Deputy began his Journey to Connaugh and on the second of December he came to Athloan and on the 14th of December O Connor Sligo and Rory O Donell came thither and made their Submission to him and although O Connor did act his part well and alleadg'd many plausible excuses yet O Donell not only out-did him but also exceeded all others that had submitted to that day for he was very frank and generous in his Deportment and submitted without Capitulation or Condition which was the more regarded because he was a man of Parts and Courage but the difficulty was how to compromise the matter between him and Sir Neal Garve who was no better than an insatiable unruly Beast The Deputy kept Christmas at Galway and there received into favour the Flahertyes Mac Dermonds O Connor roe and others so that only the sickle and treacherous O Rourk notwithstanding his Letters to the Deputy that he would submit and Tyrones Macguire and Tyrrell persisted in this Rebellion with the Earl of Tyrone The Deputy ordered that the Fort of Gallaway should be finished and appointed three several small Armies to attack O Rourk but because it may seem that these people could never relapse and apostatize as many of them did if there had been any obligation laid upon them to be loyal I thought it not unnecessary to inform the Reader that every man that submitted took the following Oath First Morison 251 I Do acknowledge Elizabeth by the Grace of God Queen of England France and Ireland to be the only true Absolute and Soveraign Lady of this Realm of Ireland and of every part and of all the People thereof unto whose gracious mercy I do humbly submit my Land and Goods and with all faithful Repentance for my unnatural Disobedience unto her Royal Majesty do most earnestly implore her Mercy and Pardon for my self and such of my Followers as with me have been seduced to this wicked Rebellion Further I do renounce all and any manner of Obedience unto any other Power or Potentate which I owe only to my dread Soveraign Elizabeth and utterly abjure any dependancy and adherence to any of her Enemies whatsoever or disloyal Subjects and do promise swear and vow from henceforth to live in her Subjection in all Duty and Obedience and to use my best endeavours to the utmost of my power to withstand and confound any Enemy either forreign or domestick that shall attempt any thing against the Sacred Person or Estate of her Majesty or to the hurt of her faithful and obedient Subjects And especially and namely I do renounce as before and promise my endeavours as aforesaid against the King of Spain and the Arch-Traytor the Earl of Tyrone About the latter end of January the Lord Deputy returned to Dublin having engaged Rory O Donell to prosecute O Rourk and in the beginning of March some Forces were sent to help Sir Arthur Chichester to expel Brian mac Art who had secretly entered Killultagh with 500 men and they performed that Service effectually Morisin 271. and brought the Rebels to so low a condition that they saw three Children eating the Entrails of their dead Mother upon whose Flesh they had fed twenty days and roasted it by a slow Fire and it was manifest that some older people had been in that starving condition that they murdered and eat Children for a long time together and were at last discovered and executed for that Barbarity In short the Famine of Jerusalem did not exceed that amongst the Rebels of Ireland and therefore it is no wonder that on the 30th of March 1602. Cambd. Eliz. 658. the Earl of Tyrone not knowing the Queen's death did at Melifont in most humble manner and upon his knees make his submission to the Deputy tho' at the same time Sir Neal Garve being discontented did with Mac Swiny concert the measures of a new Rebellion and took upon him the name of O Donell and made the people swear Fealty to him In Munster the Irish by the contrivance of O Sullevan Bear had surprized the Castle of Dunboy and taken it from the Spaniards in February whereat Don John was exceedingly troubled and offered to go in person to recover the Castle that it might be surrendered according to Capitulations 1601. but the Deputy and President who were willing to be rid of him excus'd him for that and told him They would take care to reduce the Irish to their Duty and so Don John and his Spaniards imbarqu'd for Spain on the 8th although they did not set sail till the 16th of March In the mean time O Sullevan was busie fortifying Dunboy and had hired Tirrell William Burk and others with 1000 〈◊〉 for his defence and the President was not idle but on the 9th of March sent the Earl of Twomond with 1200 Foot and 10 Horse into Carbery and Bantry to destroy those Countries and to view Dunboy that he might be the better able to provide for its Reduction but the Earl could march no farther than Bantry where he left five Companies in Garrison and returned to Cork On the 23th of April the President marched from Cork to Awnebuy 1602. and on the 24th came to Tymoleague the 25th to Ross the 26th to Castlehaven the 27th to Baltimore the 29th to Kilcoe and the 30th to Castle-Carew alias Dowminark On the first of May Capt. Taaf took a Prey of 300 Cows and many Sheep and on the second Capt. John Barry brought in another Prey of 500 Cows 300 Sheep and 300 Garrans and on the 8th 300 men were in the night sent to Artully to meet Sir Charles Wilmott's Forces and to conduct them to the Camp which was effected to the great grief of the Rebels and a Prey of 4000 Cows was taken in Iveragh This Sir Charles Wilmot had done great Services in Kerry where he took the Castles of Lixnaw Ballyhow Castle-Gregory and Raâ—ane and defeated the Knight of Kerry and forced him and Damell mac Carty to submit But the
Lord President having ordered the Irish Subjects to send their Cattle to the Eastward of Cork lest the Rebels might seize on them whilst the President was at the Siege of Dunboy Mac Carty Reagh thought himself not obliged by that Order because his Cattle were safe between Killbritton and the Fort of Kingsale and it happened well for thereby Dermond Moyle Brother of Florence mac Carty a stout Rebel thinking to borrow some Cows of his Cozen Mac Carty Reagh was by inadvertency slain by those that endeavoured to rescue the Cattle to the great grief and astonishment of all the Papists who valued him as a mighty Pillar of the Catholick Cause On the 4th of June the Royalists took the Castle of Dunmanus and on the 5th there came a Spanish Ship to Ardea in Desmond and brought some Ammunition and Money which was distributed amongst the Rebels and on the 6th the President wafted his Army over to Beerhaven and defeated a Party of the Rebels and on the 12th the English took the Island of Dursyes and on the 18th the President took the strong Castle of Dunboy by Assault after the most obstinate and valiant defence that had ever been known in Ireland and not one of the Garrison being 143 select men escaped but were either slain or executed and the desperate Courage of Macgoghegan was remarkable for being shrewdly wounded in several places so that he could not stir yet when he saw the Castle was taken and the English come in he got a light Candle and raising himself from the ground in a staggering manner he endeavoured to cast it into a Barrel of Powder to blow up him and the English together The Castles of Dunboy and Littertingles being taken and demolish'd and the Castles of Downings and Lemcon being likewise taken the Lord President return'd to Cork on the 29th of June and sent part of his Forces to the Lord-Deputy by Sir Samuel Bagnall nevertheless by reason of the arrival of Owen mac Egan with Treasure and large Promises from Spain the Irish were for a while more sturdy after the Siege of Dunboy than they were before And although Sir Edward Wingfield arrived in Munster with 1000 men for Recruits yet were the Irish so cajoll'd with Spanish Promises and a little Gold that many of them relaps'd into Rebellion and particularly Donough and Finin Sons of Sir Owen Mac Carty Reagh receiv'd 300 l. of the Apostolical Vicar Mac Egan and upon the 10th of July joyned with the Rebels but Captain Roger Harvy so manag'd them that he left them never a Castle in Carbery except Kilcoe and Cloghane But whatsoever the Spaniard design'd in favour of the Irish was superseded on the News of the loss of Dunboy so that the Rebels were left to themselves and 2000 Men more were sent out of England to Munster to prosecute them effectually nevertheless they continued in hopes of Spanish assistance and could not conceal their Joy on the approach of a Fleet of Easterlings which they verily believed to be Spaniards The President had good Information upon Oath that Cormock mac Dermond Lord of Muskry had received 800 Duckets of the Spanish Money and had engag'd to declare himself on the Spaniards landing and to deliver them his strong Castle of Blarny and therefore he gave Orders to apprehend Cormock and to seize Blarny the former was easily effected but the latter could not be perform'd until Cormock being in Prison and finding his secret Combinations discovered did consent to consign the Castle of Blarny to Captain Harvy and Kilcrea to Captain Slingsby nevertheless he continued in his treasonable Designs and not only endeavoured his own escape which at last he effected but also sent his Servant John Healy to bring his Son Cormock Oge from Oxford that so there might be no Pledge of his remaining in the Custody of the English but Healy was stop'd and his Letters had been intercepted if he had not cunningly thrown them over-board Sir Charles Wilmot lay before Macrome or Mocrumpe when on the the 29th of September the Lord or Chief of Muskry made his escape and thereupon the President sent him Orders to raise the Siege the next day which he must have done but that it so happened that the Castle took fire that very Night and the Warders thought it their best course to sally out which they did and fifty of them were slain and the rest escaped to the adjacent Woods and so Wilmot 〈◊〉 a Garrison in Macrome and returned to Cork But whilst the President was preparing for a new War which he expected would be the consequence of Cormock's escape Cormock having consulted Tyrrel and O Sullevan and found their weakness and poverty and well weighing his own circumstances made humble Suit to the President for his Pardon and it was granted to him upon good reasons of State so that he made his submission in a very penitent manner on the 21st of October And the next day Sir Samuel Bagnall surprized Tyrrell's Army in Muskry and killed 80 upon the place and took all their Baggage and Money and above 1000 Cows besides Horses and Sheep whereupon Tyrrel suspecting this was done by contrivance of the Lord of Muskry wrecked his Malice upon that Country and the Inhabitants thereof and then retreated to his old lurking holes in Desmond In the mean time Carbery was quite wasted by the English Garrisons and Cloghan Castle was taken by Captain Flower and the Militia or rising out of the Country to the number of 1600 was assembled under the Lord Barry and being joyn'd by 500 of the Army under Sir George Thornton they rendezvouz'd at Dunkerran on the 27th of December whilst the President went to Galloway to meet the Lord-Deputy In the mean time Sir Charles Wilmot in Kerry had reduced the Knight of Kerry and forced Thomas Oge and Daniel O Sullevan to submission but this latter afterwards within a very few days most perfidiously butcher'd a Serjant and ten English Soldiers who not suspecting any prejudice from one that had submitted were marching after Sir Charles Wilmot towards Dunkeran at which barbarity the old O Sullevan more was exceedingly troubled The English Forces being at Dunkerran Tyrrel could not be perswaded to stay in the Province although he had received a great imprest of Spanish Money but a little before from O Sullevan Beare and was promised fifteen hundred pound to stay but three Months longer but leaving his Carriages sick Men and other incumbrances behind he march'd so fast that he hardly look'd back till he came into O Carrol's Country or the King's County which is above threescore Miles from Slevelogher On the 31st of October the English took a Prey of 2000 Sheep and 1000 Garrons from O Sullevan and the Irish who fought very smartly for their Cattel so that many were slain on either side but this loss was too great to be born and therefore it produced the submissions of Hugh mac Swiny Owen Grany and many others and
necessitated William Burk with his Bownaghts to follow his Brother Tyrrel into O Carol's Country and O Sullevan himself and O Connor Kerry were glad to accompany them thither but these Fugitives did not pass so luckily and scotfree as Tyrrel did for Teige Mac Owen Carty on the skirts of Muskny and John Barry near Liscarrol gave them severe rebukes and the Sheriff of Typerary fell smartly upon their rear whil'st the rest were passing the Shennin in their Nevoges and even in the County of Galway Sir Thomas Burk and Captain Malby gave them disturbance but their despair made them victorious in that encounter and they bravely forced their way with the slaughter of Malby and many of his Soldiers and got safely into O Bowrk's Country On the fifth of January Captain Taffe had the good fortune to kill the valiant Apostolick Vicar Owen mac Egan and 140 of his followers near the River of Bandon which was followed by the submission of all the Rebels in Carbry and it is observed of this zealous Vicar that he never pardon'd any Irish-man tho' a Papist that serv'd the Queen but would as soon as they came before him have them confessed absolv'd and executed These good Successes were followed by the defeat and ruine of the Lord of Lixnaw whose party was totally routed by Captain Boys and all his substance taken and 80 of his Men killed as also by the taking of the strong Castles of Kilcoe and Berengary and so all Munster being reduc'd to obedience the Lord President prepared for his Voyage to England and left Sir Charles Wilmot and Sir George Thornton joynt Governors of that Province And thus ended this mighty Rebellion which from a small beginning grew to be the most general and dangerous defection that ever was in Ireland to that time which could never have happened but for the gripple-handedness as Cambden phrases it and slighting of England nor was this the first time that the Queen had been a Penny wise and a Pound otherwise in managing the Affairs of Ireland and had paid dear for her frugality as she did in this War which might have been prevented at first with the twentieth part of what it cost afterward for the Charge of this one Year from the first of April 1601 to the first of April 1602 amounted to no less than 322502 l. 1 s. 0d The Rebels in the course of this War were exceedingly troubled that some of the Papists continued Loyal to the Queen and they bitterly exclaim'd against the Popish Priests of English extraction that justified the Opinion they might lawfully do so and to convince them of their error the Rebels did not only procure a Bull from Pope Clement the Eighth dated the 8th of April 1600. giving such plenary remission of sins to those that fight against the Hereticks in Ireland as to those that fight against the Turks and his Holines's Letter of the 20th of January 1601. directed to Tyrone to animate him and his followers to persevere in their Rebellion but also procured the Censures of the Universities of Salamanca and Valladolid that it was mortal sin for a Papist to fight against Prince O Neal the Champion of the Church who militates for the Catholick Faith and that they cannot be forgiven till they desert the Hereticks Service and Mr. Sullevan thinks he has nickt it when he calls the contrary Opinion Insanam vene nosam doctrinam It seems that the Earl of Twomond remembring the severe Government of Fitton President of Connaugh whil'st he was in England made his humble Suit to the Queen that the County of Clare might be re-annexed to Munster whereof it was formerly a part whereupon the Queen the 29th of July 1602. wrote to the Lord Deputy and Council on that Subject and on the 4th of October she wrote positively to renew the Earl's Commission to use Martial Law in that County and to put him into all Commissions of Oyer and Terminor Goal-delivery c. next to the President and Chief Justice and to continue his Band of 200 Men and his Entertainment of 10 s. a Day and to reunite Twomond to Munster unless they found great reason to the contrary they debated the matter and 't was alledg'd for the reunion 1. The Name Thomond i. e. North Munster which proves it was originally part of Munster and so has continued 1300 Years 2. It was inhabited by Munster-men the O Bryans being setled on both sides the River Shenin their Language and Pronunciation is the same and since there is an Alliance between them they ought not to be seperated 3. Twomond was formerly part of the County of Lymerick and the Inhabitants have been often tryed for Life and Estate by Judges and Commissioners at Lymerick but of late the County being too large part of it was made a separate County by name of the County of Clare but nevertheless was subject to the Governours of Munster 4. It was first united to Connaugh at the importunity of Fitâ—on because Roscomon Sligo and Mayo were not amesnable to Law this brought great inconveniency to Thomond till it was reunited and Sir Nicholas Malby procured it again to be seperated and so it continued till the Earl got the Martial Government of it and his Company is of the List of Munster 6. It is necessary the President of Munster who governs Lymerick should have command on both sides the River Shenin to prevent the design of foreign Enemies 7. Part of Twomond is within the Liberties of Lymerick and must not de dispunishable till remedy can be had from Conaugh 8. Lymerick is the Sanctuary and Bulwark of Twomond and the fittest place to keep it in order and therefore the Citizens have purchased good Estates in Twomond and it would be very inconvenient to have them and their Estates under several Governments 9. Twomond is in the Province of Cashel the Arch-bishoprick of Munster and these Reasons prevailing the County of Clare was again made part of Munster But my Friends at Ballyvorny would never forgive me if I should omit the Indulgence granted by Pope Clement the Eighth to such as in devotion go unto Gobonet's-Church in Muskry in the County of Cork which follows in these words UNiversis Christi fidelibus praesentes literas inspecturis salutem Apostolicam benedictionem Lib. N. N. N. 77. ad augendum fidelium Religionem animarum salutem coelestibus ecclesiae thesauris pia charitate intenti Omnibus utriusque sextus Christi fidelibus vere penitentibus confessis ac sacra communione reflectis qui ecclesiam parochialem Sanctae Gobonetae loci Ballyvorni Clunensi dioc ' die Festo ejusdem Sanctae Goboneuae à primis vesperis usque ad Occasum solis praedicti festi singulis annis devote visitaverint ibi pro Christianorum principum concordia Heresum extirpatione ac Sanctae Matris ecclesiae exaltatione pias ad deum preces effuderint decem annos totidem quadragenas de
Twenty six before they came to Ireland and Fifty one in Ireland whereof Twenty four were Monarchs and Thirty three in Scotland and so succeeded by Hereditary Right from his Illustrious Irish Ancestors Now I say that they have gotten such a Rightful Hereditary King Analecta Hiberniae the Reader must not expect to hear of any more Irish Rebellions but on the contrary that their peaceable and Loyal Deportment will distinguish between Rightful and Usurping Princes Consanguinei Regis analecta Hib. 208. and that now theâ—â— own Kindred is restored to them we may expect to find that they will take pleasure and delight and a conscionable Pride as they phrase it to be Ruled and Commanded by their own Relations Ib. 276. Germen Hibernorum spes seminis jubar sanguinis and that their great Endeavours for the Kings of England of that Line to whom they are tyed by the Bond of * Cui obligati sumus vinculo sanguinis Consanguinity will be the Work of a Simpathy of Blood if there be any Truth in the Reports or Flatteries of the late Irish Historians or in the Speech of the present Recorder of Kilkâ—nny But alas these thin Pretences which in Ireland are thought Stratagems are easily seen through in England where it is believed that there is something more Criminal in Heresie then can be expiated by Extraction and therefore they expect that the Royal Family of the Stuarts whilst it continues Protestant must have their share of opposition and disturbance even from their own Irish Country-men and with as malicious Circumstances as any other Protestant Princes have had and how far they were in the right of it is Summarily related in my Epistle to the Reader but shall here be more at large explained JAMES VI. King of Scotland 1602. Succeeded the Deceased Queen Elizabeth on the Throne of England by unquestionable Right Ir. Stat. 2. Jac. 1. cap. 1. I say unquestionable notwithstanding the Book published against his Title and Right of Succession by Parsons the Jesuit under the name of Doleâ—an for the material Allegations of that Author are notoriously false and which is worse himself knew that they were so as Peter Walsh hath assured us Letter to the Bishop of Lincoln p. 212. and it is manifest to all the World that the King was the only Son of Mary Queen of Scots Daughter of King James the Fifth Son of James the Fourth by Margaret his Wife who was the eldest Daughter of Henry the Seventh by Elizabeth Heiress of the House of York and so was Heir to both the Families of York and Lancaster And was therefore Proclaimed King without any opposition Secretary Cecill himself reading his Title as also Queen Elizabeth's Will at Whitehall Gate on the 24th day of March 1602. And as to Ireland CHARLES Lord MOUNTJOY continued Lord Deputy 1603. and was afterwards made Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom and having received Letters from the Council of England with a Proclamation of the new King he first Signed the Proclamation and all the Council did the like in Order and then with great Solemnity they published and proclaimed the same in Dublin on the Fifth of April and about the same time he received kind and gracious Letters from the King then in Scotland by one Mr. Leigh whom therefore the Lord Deputy Knighted The Earl of Tyrone who was brought to Dublin in Company with the Lord Deputy on the 4th day of April could not refrain from Tears on the News of Queen Elizabeths Death nor can we blame him for it for besides the unsecurity of the Pardon or Protection he relyed on being derived from a Princess that was Dead and an Authority that was determined before it was executed He had also lost the best opportunity in the World either of continuing the War with advantage or of making a profitable and meritorious Submission to the new King nor did he want Pretences and Circumstances that would have made his free Submission highly valuable and exceeding honourable however since he had missed the Season of doing better he thought it prudent to do the best for himself that his Circumstances would permit and to secure the Protection and Estate that were promised him and accordingly the 6th day of April the Lord Deputy did not only renew his Protection in King James his Name but soon after gave him Liberty to return to Ulster to settle his Concerns but first the Earl put in his Hostages and also renewed his Submission in a set Form of Words wherein he abjured all foreign Power and Jurisdiction in general Morison 279. and the King of Spain's in particular and renounced the Vraights of Ulster and the name of O Neal and all his Lands except such as should be granted to him by the King and he promised future Obedience and to discover his Correspondence with the Spaniard And at the same time he wrote to Spain for his Son Henry but without effect for he was afterwards found strangled at Brussels no Body knows how and on the 15 th day of April O Rourk in like manner by his Letters humbly offer'd to submit to his Majesties mercy which Offer was accepted These Great men having thus submitted and the Kingdom but especially Ulster being so wasted and destroyed that the Famine encreased to the degree of eating one another as I have already mentioned in my former Part. And the number of the Irish being exceedingly lessened by their many tedious and obstinate Rebellions and those that remain'd except Cities and Towns being so poor that the very estated Men had not wherewithal to stock or cultivate their Land nor had any improvements left upon their Estates Bello peste inedia fatigati Analecta Hib. 207. except perhaps a dismal Castle and a few pittiful Cabins One might expect that this miserable Condition which required a long interval of Rest and Peace to amend it would oblige these People to live peaceably and Loyally under this new King of their own Lineage And perhaps it might have done so if the Universities of Salamanca and Validolid had not about this time sent over their Determination of that knotty Point that Vexata Questio Whether an Irish Papist may obey or assist his Protestant King Which they resolved in the Negative by two Assertions Sullevan's Cath. History 203. 1. That since the Earl of Tyrone undertook the War for Religion and by the Pope's Approbation it was as meritorious to aid him against the Hereticks as to fight against the Turks And 2. That it was mortal Sin any ways to assist the English against him and that those that did so can neither have Absolution nor Salvation without deserting the Hereticks and repenting for so great a Crime But this New Declaration of two such famous Universities and the Impatience of their busie Priests set them a madding again so that they wanted nothing but Power to make a more general and formidable
and Oliver Castells 1. That the Nobility wer over-taxed in the Subsidies 2. And were kept Close Prisoners tho' not Impeach'd of any Capital Crime 3. And could not get Licence to absent unless they leave their Proxy with one of the Chief Governors naming 4. That some have Titles of Honour that have no Lands in the Kingdom 5. That the Nobility were stop from going to Petition the King 6. That Trade is decayed by Illegal Taxes as Twelve pence apiece on Hides 7. That Causes are arbitrarily decided at Council-board and in other improper Judicatories 8. That Paâ—ents are made void extrajudicially on private Opinions 9. The Monopolies of Tobacco Starch Sope Glass Tobacco-pipes c. 10. The Procedings of the High-Commission 11. The exorbitant Fees and pretended Customs exacted by the Clergy 12. The Proclamation against buying Gunpowder but out of the Store and restraining Hunting within Seven Miles of Dublin 13. That the Parliament in its Members and Actions hath not had its natural Freedom 14. That the Subject is denied the Benefit of the Act of Limitation 15. The taking excessive Fees 16. The Seizing of Linen Yarn and Cloth for not being exact according to Rule 17. The Oppressions of Officers And in this Parliament on the Fourth of March Captain Audley Mervin brought up an Impeachment of High-Treason from the Commons to the Lords against Sir Richard Bolton Lord Chancellor John Lord Bishop of Derry Sir Gerrard Lowther Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas and Sir George Ratcliff and made an eloquent Speech on that Occasion The Charge consisting of Three Articles was General for subverting the Laws and introducing Arbittary Government by extrajudicial and unjust Decrees for inflicting infamous Punishments by Pillory c. on Persons of Reputation and subverting the Rights of Parliament But it seems there was a Dispute raised Whether the House of Lords in Ireland had Power of Judicature in Capital Cases Whereupon Captain Audley Mervin made a most excellent Speech in the Lords House in Parliament 24 May 1641. And afterwards he Impeached Sir George Ratcliff then in the Gate-house Westminster in the Parliament of England of the aforesaid Articles and adds That he joyned with the Earl of Strafford in taking out Eighty thousand Pounds out of the Exchequer to buy Tobacco and that he countenanced Papists to build Monasteries c. On the Sixteenth of March 1640. Secretary Vane sent the Lords Justices the following Letter by His Majesty's Command Right Honorable HIS Majesty hath commanded me to acquaint your Lordships with an Advice given him from abroad and confirm'd by His Ministers in Spain and elsewhere which in this distemper'd Time and Conjuncture of Affairs deserves to be seriously considered and an especial Care and Watchfulness to be had therein Which is That of late there have passed from Spain and the like may well have been from other Parts an unspeakable number of Irish Churchmen for England and Ireland and some good old Soldiers under pretext of asking leave to raise Men for the King of Spain whereas it is observed among the Irish Fryars * * In Spain there a Whisper runs as if they expected a Rebellion in Ireland and particularly in Connaught Wherefore His Majesty thought fit to give your Lordships this notice that in your Wisdoms you might manage the same with that dexterity and secrefie as to discover and prevent so pernicious a Design if any such there should be and to have a watchful Eye on the Proceedings and Actions of those who come thither from abroad on what pretext soever And so herewith I rest Your Lordships most humble Servant HENRY VANE In the mean time the Earl of Strafford came to his Tryal in England and it was the most Solemn that ever was in that Kingdom and at length he was Attainted by Act of Parliament and accordingly beheaded on the 12th day of May 1641. and the Earl of Leicester was the same day appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in his stead His Tryal is excellently wrote at large by Mr. Rushworth to which I must refer the curious Reader but because every Man has not that Book by him I have Cursorily extracted so much of it only as I thought pertinent to his History wherein if I have not been very exact it was because the Inquisitive may easily inform themselves as well as I by having recourse to the Original which I had not leisure to examine more carefully than I have done The Third Article which is the First relating to Ireland is that he should say That Ireland was a conquer'd Nation and that the King might do with them what he pleased and that the Charters of the Corporations were worth nothing and did bind the King no farther than he pleased To which the Earl Answers That he never spoke those words and that the Scope and Intent of what he did say was to ingratiate his Majesties Government to the People and that his words were well accepted at that time however they come to be resented now That the Charters of Dublin were Anno 1634. brought before the Council and still are in the hands of the Clerk of the Council because besides other Abuses the Papists of that City engrossed all the Trade and denied Liberty to such as came out of England to set up there which he hath so far remedied as that there are Three Englishmen now in Dublin for One that was there when he came to the Government and the Charters are not Condemned but enjoyed to this day so that he aim'd at a Reformation in favour of the English but did not design the Destruction of the Charters The Fourth Article was That the Earl of Cork having begun a Suit at Law to recover a Possession he had lost by Colour of an Order from the Lord Deputy and Council the Lord Deputy threatned to imprison him unless he would surcease his Suit saying That he would have neither Law nor Lawyers dispute or question his Orders and that he said upon another the like Occasion That he would make the Earl of Cork and all Ireland know that so long as he had the Government there any Act of State there made or to be made should be as binding to the Subjects of that Kingdom as an Act of Parliament and that he question'd that Earl in the Castle-Chamber upon Pretence of a Breach of an Order of Council-Table To this the Earl of Strafford answered That the Council-Table was a Court of Record in Ireland wherein they proceeded formally by Bill Answer Examination of Witnesses c. and therefore the Orders of it are binding and ought to be obey'd he denies he compar'd it to a Parliament and denies that the Earl of Cork was prosecuted for disobedience of an Order of Council only The Fifth Article was That in time of Peace 12th of December 1635. he did give and procure to be given Sentence of Death against the Lord Mountnorris at a Council of War for saying of an Accidental
the last Six years over and above 3 d. per Pound Impost and that he had the Consent of the principal of the Council and the Approbation of his Majesty who consented to an Act of Parliament for the Confirmation of it that the Council Sign'd the Proclamations and if any were Pillory'd Whipt c. it was for Perjury or like Crimes and the Fines were only in terrorem little of them being Levied and concludes that he is no Gainer by that Monopoly The Thirteenth Article was That he also Monopoliz'd all the Flax of the Kingdom by his Proclamations of 31st May 12 Car. 1. and 31st January in the same year prescribing and enjoyning Rules and Methods of making Yarn and Thread which the unskilful Natives could not Practise and ordering all Linen Yarn and Thread made in any other manner to be seized which was accordingly executed with Severity whereby multitudes were undone and many Starved To which he Answers That what he did was to incourage the Linen Manufacture in Ireland and to â—â—â—ing the Irish to a more Artificial way of making Linen Yarn Thread and Cloth that the Council concurr'd in the Proclamations which are Temporary Laws in Ireland and that he was a Loser of 3000 l. by this Project for the Good of that Country that the evil Consequences if any were Collateral and Accidental and that the misdemeanors of inferior Officers could not be Charged on him That he never used more than 400 l. worth of Yarn in a Year which could not undoe much less Starve such multitudes as they pretend The Fourteenth was That he impos'd a new Oath to make true Invoyce c. on Masters of Ships c. but the Managers declin'd this Article The Fifteenth was That he Arbitrarily impos'd Illegal Taxes on the Towns of Bandonbridge Baltimore Tallow c. and Cessed Souldiers on them till they paid them and by force of Arms expell'd Richard Butler from Castlecumber and imprison'd several of the O Brenans and their Wives and Children until they surrendred and releas'd their Rights and Estates To this the Earl Answers That when the Country granted the King 120000 l. in Nature of a Subsidy it was agreed between the Lord Deputy Falkland and Them that it should not be entered upon Record but be Levied by Captains by Paper Assignments by Warrant from the Lord Deputy and so it was done and the Money levied on Bandon c. was Arrears of that Contribution and it was levied without Force and that Castlecumber was Legally evicted and what Soldiers were sent there being but twelve were sent to Guard Mr. Wandesford's House against Tories but used no Force to Mr. Butler or any quiet Subject and that it was usual in Ireland to lay Soldiers on Delinquents The Sixteenth Article That he procured his Majesties Order 17th February 1631. that no Complaint should be received in England about Irish Affairs until it were first made in Ireland to the Lord Deputy and that by Proclamation of the 17th of September 11 Car. 1. All Persons that had Estate or Office in Ireland except such as had imployment in his Majesties Service in England or attended there by his special Command should reside in Ireland and not depart without Licence whereby People are hindred from complaining against the said Earl And One Parry hath been punish'd for so doing To this he Answers That it was by him and the Council conceived fit to prevent unnecessary Clamours here but that he never denied Licence except to the Lords of Cork Mountnorris and Roch because there were Suits against them in the Castlechamber and to Sir Frederick Hamilton by the Kings Command which was taken off when he knew the Design of his Voyage was to complain against him and to Lord Esmond for a short time because he was Major General of the Army and he saith that Parry was punish'd for other Misdemeanors by the Consent of the whole Council The Nineteenth was Rushw 494. That by Proclamation of May 20. 1639. he imposed a New Oath viz. I N. do faithfully swear profess and promise That I will honor and obey my Sovereign Lord King CHARLES and will bear Faith and true Allegiance to Him and will defend and maintain His Regal Power and Authority and that I will not bear Arms nor do any Rebellious or Hostile Act against him or protest against any his Royal Commands but submit my self in all due Obedience hereunto And that I will not enter into any Covenant Oath or Bond of mutual Defence or Assistance against all sorts of Persons whatsoever or into any Oath Covenant or mutual Defence or Assistance against any Person whatsoever by force without His Majesty's Sovereign and Regal Authority And I do renounce all Covenants contrary to what I have sworn and promised So help me God in Christ Jesus And that he grievously fined those that refused to take it and particularly Henry Stewart and his Wife were fined 5000 l. apiece and their two Daughters and James Gray Three thousand Pounds apiece and imprison'd them for not paying it and explain'd the Oath to oblige in point of Allegiance to the Ceremonies and Government of the Church establish'd and to be establish'd by His Majesty's Authority and that he would prosecute to the Blood such as should disobey c. whereby many were undone and more fled the Kingdom and that he said If he return'd again he would root out Stock and Branch of the Dissenting Scots To this he answers That it was in a dangerous Time and for the Security of the Kingdom and upon their own Petition and that he had His Majesty's Orders for it dated 16 January 1638. That as to the Fine of Stewart c. it was setled before it came to his Vote so that he did but concur with the rest and that he did not speak against the Scotish Nation but against the Scotch Faction of the Covenanters The Twenty second Article was That he procured the Irish Parliament to declare their Assistance in a War against the Scots and gave Directions for Raising Eight thousand Foot and One thousand Horse which were most Papists and confederated with Sir George Ratcliff to employ that Army to Invade England and subvert the Fundamental Laws and Establish'd Government thereof To this he answers That he rais'd that Army by His Majesty's Order and denies any other Design than to assist and serve the King as they ought There was also some mention made about one Trueman who was executed for a Plot to betray Carigfergus to the Scots touching whom Sir John Clotworthy made this Deposition That Trueman was an Englishman that dwelt not far from Carigfergus and one that was sent about the Country but by whom he knows not but there were vehement Suspicions that he was employ'd to find out those that would engage in Discourse concerning the Scotch Business He spake with one Captain Giles who feigned himself a great Friend of the Scotish Nation and said That he
Parsons by Owen O Conally an Irishman but bred a Protestant by Sir John Clotworthy and he being drunk told his Story so odly and delivered this surprizing Information so incoherently that small regard was had to what he said and therefore he was dismissed with Directions to make farther Discoveries if he could Nevertheless the Lord Parsons went to his Collegue Burlace at Chichester-house to communicate Conally's Intelligence unto him and whilst the Lord Justice Burlace was fretting that Conally should be so slightly dismiss'd Vide his Examination Append 2. behold about Ten a Clock at Night he came again and confirm'd his former Story Whereupon several of the Conspirators were that Night apprehended and tho' James Warren and Paul Neale found means to escape out of Custody yet the Lord Macguire in whose Lodgings were found many Hatchets Skeins and Hammers and Mac Mahon were taken and kept safe until their Execution It was about Five a Clock in the Morning 23d of October when Mac Mahon was Examined and Confessed That on that very day all the Forts and strong Places in Ireland would be taken that he with the Lord Macguire Hugh Brine Captain Bryan O Neale and several other Irish Gentlemen were come expresly to surprize the Castle of Dablin and that Twenty men out of each County were to be here to joyn with them That all the Papist Lords and Gentlemen in the Kingdom were engaged in this Plot That what was to be done in other parts of the Country was so far advanced by that time as it was impossible for the Wit of Man to prevent it that they had him in their Power and might use him as they pleased but he was sure be should be revenged And it is observable that Mac Mahon's Fancy was so full of the Bloody Tragedy which was to be Acted that day that during Owen O Conallies Examination as he walked in Chichester-Hall he drew with Chalk several postures of Men some on Gibbets and some groveling on the Ground so much was he delighted with what he thought or rather knew would soon be the Condition of the miserable English Nor is it to be omitted that Sir William Cole upon the Information of John Cormuck and Flagharty Mac Hugh that the Irish did design to seize on the Castle of Dublin and murder the Lords Justices and Council and the Protestants there did on the 21. of October send Letters with an Account of that Matter to the Lords Justices but how they mis carried is not known but it is certain those Letters never came to hand On this First day of the Rebellion the Irish surprized the Lord Blaney's House his Wife and Children and seized the Newry and the Magazine there See it Burlace 22. wherein were Seventy Barrels of Powder they also took Dungannon Fort Mountjoy Charlemont Tonrage Carrickmacross Cloghouter in the County of Cavan and Castlemonaghan and committed many Murders and the Lords Justices issued a Proclamation to encourage the English to defend themselves which were immediately Printed and sent to several places by Expresses and from this time forward there was not a day and scarce an hour wherein the dismal Tidings of some new Outrage or Barbarity did not arrive On the 24th the Alarms and Fears were so great at Dublin that the Castle Drawbridge was once let down and some of the State went to the Platform of the Castle to view the Irish Army which was falsly said to be approaching The Lords Justices being in this deplorable Condition did turn themselves to all the Methods of preserving the Kingdom which so great a Danger did require and their small Materials would allow but tho' their Industry was great their means were inconsiderable the whole standing Army did not exceed Two thousand ninety seven Foot and Nine hundred Horse Officers included and these were scattered in Single Troops and Companies or small Parties into places remote from Dublin and far distant from one another so that some of them were cut off by the Enemy and more of them being Irish Papists did revolt to the Rebels however they did send Potents for as many as they thought could safely March and particularly for the Earl of Ormond's Troop which came with himself to Dublin on the Second day of December and they made Sir Francis Willoughby Commander of the Castle These Letters are at large Temple 25. and Sir Charles Coot Governour of the City and on the 25th of October sent Owen O Conally with Letters to the Lord Lieutenant and Sir Henry Spotswood with an Express to the King But their main hope was that the Papists of the Pale who were of English Extraction and had signalized their Loyalty in all former Rebellions would also stand firm to the Crown in This and therefore the Lords Justices and Council sent Letters to the Sheriffs of those five Counties to make their best defence against the Rebels and to do all that was necessary for their own Preservation And to encourage as well as enable those Papists that the State had a good Opinion of the Lords Justices dispersed Seventeen hundred Arms to the Lords of Fingall Gormanstown Dunsany Slane Netervill Merion Hoath and other Roman Catholick Gentlemen for the Guard of the Pale and Arms were likewise sent to the Towns of Waterford Wexford and Trim with a Licence to import more they issued also Commissions of Martial Law for the more speedy Execution of the Rebels and thereby the more Expeditious Suppressing of the Rebellion Temple 55. and these Commissions were directed to Papists viz. to Henry Talbot for the County of Dublin John Bellew Esquire for the County of Louth Richard Dalton and James Tuit in Westmeath and James Talbot in the County of Cavan They also gave Commissions of Government of the respective Counties to several Roman Catholicks viz. the Lords Mountgarret Gormanstown Mayo Costilo Walter Bagnall Sir James Dillon Sir Robert Talbot Sir Christopher Bellew Sir Thomas Nugent and Mr. Nicholas Barnewall and by these Commissions these Lords and Gentlemen in their respective Districts had power to Levy and raise Forces to Arm and Array and conduct them and to prosecute the Rebels with Fire and Sword to use Martial Law and to Pardon and receive into his Majesties mercy as they should think fit as may be seen more at large in the Lord Gormanstowns Commission Postea Appendix 8. But the Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale were deeper in this General Conspiracy than the Lords Justices suspected and therefore were so far from being wrought upon by these Kindnesses and the Confidence the State placed in them that on the contrary from the very beginning they industriously sought for Pretences to break out into Action Their first Essay was on the 27th day of October at which time they picked a Quarrel at the words Irish Papists in the Proclamation against the Rebels as being Terms so General and Comprehensive that themselves might seem included and tho' they being Old English
and gave more Colour and Umbrage for the Suspicions that were then entertained of Him than any other Action of that Time could do And indeed this single Act of theirs did His Majesty more mischief than all the pretended Loyalty of that Party since that time can atone for However to obviate the dismal Effects of that impudent Forgery as much as they could the Lords Justices did Burlace Append 3. by their Proclamation of the Thirtieth of October 1642. publish that Sham to be false and scandalous And it is very observable That this Contrivance of theirs from whence they hoped to derive so much Advantage was the Occasion of their Ruin for the King to vindicate himself from this gross Aspersion was necessitated to devolve the Management of the War upon the Parliament and to consent to the Act of Adventurers which dispos'd of most part of the Rebels Estates and indeed to humour them in every thing relating to Ireland and particularly in giving up Carrigfergus to the Scots And on the same Fourth of November Temple 50. the Parliament of England voted 1. That Twenty thousand Pounds be forthwith supplied for the present Occasions of Ireland 2. That a convenient Number of Ships shall be provided for the Guarding of the Sea-coasts of that Kingdom 3. That this House holds fit that Six thousand Foot and Two thousand Horse shall be raised with all convenient speed for the present Expedition into Ireland 4. That the Lord Lieutenant shall present to both Houses of Parliament such Officers as he shall think fit to send into Ireland to Command any Forces to be transported thither 5. That Magazins of Victuals shall be forthwith provided at Westchester to be sent over to Dublin as the Occasions of that Kingdom shall require 6. That the Magazins of Arms Ammunition and Powder now in Carlisle shall be forthwith sent over to Knockfergus in Ireland 7. That it be referred to the King's Council to consider of some fit Way and to present it to the House for a Publication to be made of Rewards to be given to such as shall do Service in this Expedition into Ireland and for a Pardon of such of the Rebels in Ireland as shall come in by a Time limited and of a Sum of Money to be appointed for a Reward to such as shall bring in the Heads of such Principal Rebels as shall be nominated 8. That Letters shall be forthwith sent to the Justices in Ireland to acquaint them how sensible this House is of the Affairs in Ireland 9. That the Committee of Irish Affairs shall consider how and in what manner this Kingdom shall make use of the Friendship and Assistance of Scotland in the Business of Ireland 10. That Directions shall be given for the drawing of a Bill for the Pressing of Men for this particular Service for Ireland In the mean time the Lords Justices and Council did all that was possible for the Preservation of the Kingdom They on the Fifth of November dispatched a second Express to the King and another to the Lords of the Council and then and not before wrote to both Houses of Parliament and sent a Duplicate of it to the King and they formed a thousand of the stripped English into a Regiment under Sir Charles Coot and soon after they raised two Regiments more under the Lord Lambert and Colonel Crawford They also took care to Victual the Castle of Dublin and to clear an old Well that was in it and to do all things necessary to fit it for a Siege And to prevent any Surprize that might happen by the great Concourse of People to the Castle they removed the Council to Cork-house and often sat there in Council which was a great Oversight and might have been Fatal to them if the Lords of the Pale who soon after went out into open Rebellion had had the Courage to seise upon them there as they easily might have done On Saturday the Sixth of November Philip O Rely Knight of the Shire and the Irish of the County of Cavan sent an insolent Remonstrance to the Lord Justices by Doctor Jones whose Wife and Children they had at their Mercy and impowered him to assure their Lordships That there should be a Cessation of all things till the return of his Answer But tho' the Lords Justices gave a Civil Answer to it and sent the Remonstrance to the Lord Lieutenant to whom the King had ordered them to apply themselves about the Affairs of Ireland yet the very next Munday being the Eigth of November and before any Answer could come these Remonstrants Rendezvoufedâ— at Virginia a Town in the County of Cavan and proved the fiercest Rebels of all and by the Eleventh of December had taken the whole County of Cavan except the Castles of Keighlah and Croghan which were also surrendred to them the Fourth of July 1642. and Thirteen hundred and forty English Persons were thence according to Articles conveyed to Tredagh On the Eleventh of November the Lords Justices published another Proclamation prohibiting all unnecessary Persons from repairing to Dublin which the Irish took very ill and made a great noise about it tho' no Person of Quality or Business was in the least restrained by that Proclamation But their Design was to pick Quarrels and to manage all Accidents to that purpose On the Twelfth of November the County of Wickloe appeared in its proper Colours they murdered or robbed all the English Inhabitants within that County and burnt the principal Houses and laid Siege to Fort-Carew which the Lords Justices had not Means to relieve The Counties of Letrim Longford West-Meath and Louth were already infected and Wexford and Caterlogh followed the bloody Examples of their Neighbours and even the County of Kildare it self began to put on a terrible Countenance and the Irish of the Pale having gotten Arms from their English Neighbors under pretence of opposing the Rebels were the better able to do Execution on those stupid Protestants that so foolishly parted with them to their National and Hereditary Enemies The Lords Justices had by Proclamation Prorogued the Parliament to the Twenty fourth of February but at the Importunity of some Irish Lawyers who pretended great Affection to the King and earnest Desires to quench the Rebellion the Parliament which was a very thin one was permitted to meet on the Sixteenth of November and then it was visible that more were tainted with the Infection than appeared openly in Rebellion for the Popish Members did with great Cunning and Artifice endeavour to varnish or excuse all the Actions and Cruelties of the Rebels and those who seemed most to discountenance the Insurrection did nevertheless cover it over with such a Veil treat of it so nicely and handle it with so much tenderness as if themselves most of them being of the Conspiracy were immediately to participate of the Punishment as well as they were clandestinely involved in the Plot They would by do means have
ordering the Country People to bring in their Corn to Market or else that their Haggards should be put under Military Execution by which means the Market was pretty well supplied And on the last day of December Sir Symon Harcourt with his Regiment of Twelve hundred Foot from England landed at Dublin But whilst these things were doing Sir Thomas Carey and Doctor Câ—le a Sorbonist offered from the Rebels some Propositions whereupon a Treaty for Peace might be founded viz. 1. Toleration of Religion 2. That Papists shall have admittance to all Employments as well as Protestants 3. The Wrongs of Plantations since 1610. to be repair'd 4. The Titles of Rebels and Traitors should be taken off the File by Proclamation But these Terms were too dishonorable and therefore were rejected Nevertheless some Popish Priests that pretended to more Moderation and Humanity than the rest were permitted to Treat with the Rebels and Doctor Cale obtain'd a Commission from the State to do so and promis'd great Success of his Negotiation But the Rebels were elevated with their Fortune insomuch that Sir Philemy O Neal refused to Treat unless Macgulre and Macmahon were set at Liberty and so that Affair determined And now Sir Simon Harcourt being made Governor of Dublin Sir Charles Coot on the Tenth of January was sent abroad to remove the Enemy from Swords a Village Six Miles from the City The Irish had barricadoed the Avenues to the Town and did what they could to defend themselves but Coot despising their weak Opposition valiantly forced the Passage and routed the Party with the slaughter of Two hundred of them and returned to Dublin with little or no Loss except that of Sir Lorenzo Cary who was killed in this Action On the Eleventh of January the Parliament was by Proclamation prorogued to the Twenty first of June 1642. But the Speakers declared to both Houses ☜ That notwithstanding the Prorogation it was not His Majesty's Intention to depart from or wave any thing he had formerly promis'd for the Confirmation of their Estates to such of his Subjects as should continue Loyal On the Fourteenth of January the Lords Justices and Council issued a severe Proclamation against Pillagers and Vagrants that were not Listed under any Commander and on the Eighteenth published another Proclamation prohibiting Soldiers from returning to England without Licence on pain of Death And on the Twenty fourth of January there landed at Dublin the Lord Lieutenant's Regiment of Foot under Lieutenant Colonel Monk afterward Duke of Albemarle Sir Michael Earnly's and Colonel Cromwell's Regiments likewise of Foot and the Lord Lisle's and Sir Richard Greeâ—vill's Regiments of Horse which enabled the Lieutenant-General Ormond with Two thousand Foot and Three hundred Horse to march out into the Country where he burnt Newcastle and Lyons and got a cosiderable Booty at the Naas and by this Joâ—â—ny removed the Enemy farther off See this Proclamation Burlace Append 6. and on the Eighth of February the Government issued a Proclamation against the Rebels prizing Sir Philemy O Neal's Head at a thousand Pounds and the rest at proportionable Rates against which the Lords of the Pale framed a false and scandalous Protestation But it is time to return to Tredagh which by the importunity of those of the Pale was become the Rebels chief Aim and next to Dublin the chief Care of the State It was the principal Scene of Action during the Months of December January and February and therefore I have preserved the Relation of that Siege intire without mixing it with other Affairs Tredagh in Irish Drogheda in Latin Pontana is an ancient Walled Town situate on both sides the River Boyne and united by a Stone Bridge from which the Town derives its Name It is about two Miles in Circuit and about three Miles distant from the Sea It had neither Bulwark nor Rampire nor any other Fortification than an ordinary Ditch and the old Wall The Haven is not good the Entrance being very narrow and difficult by reason of a Bar in the Mouth of the Harbor which is not passable but at Full Sea and then especially on Spring-tides a Ship of Sixty Tuns may sail to the Key of Tredagh Finally This Town is Governed by a Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs and is a County of it self and stands in a plain open fruitful and Champion Country To this Town came the Lord Moor with his Troop of Horse from his House at Mellefont upon the first notice of the Irish Rebellion even on the Twenty third of October about Midnight and being alarm'd by the dismal Stories of some which had escaped the Cruelties of the Rebels he caused the Mayor and Aldermen to be awakened and excited them to a speedy and vigorous Preparation for their Defence They promised fairly but acted slowly insomuch that altho' many hundreds of the Townsmen well armed used to appear on Muster-days yet now they could not get above Forty Men together and those but very ill armed but afterwards the Number encreased to Two hundred However this Noble Lord was not discouraged but having got some old Guns out of a Dungeon and Four more and some Powder out of a Ship in the Harbor he scowred the Ditch and repaired the Walls and mounted his Artillery and reviewed Captain Nettervill's and Captain Rockby's half Companies each consisting of Forty four Men of the Standing Army and did every thing else in his power that was necessary for the Defence of the Place Nevertheless finding that all this would not do without farther Succour he went to Dublin in a dark Night and effectually represented to the Government the Weakness and Importance of Drogheda and offered to augment his own Troop of Sixty to a hundred and to raise a hundred Foot at his own Charge But what he obtained was a Promise That Succours should be speedily sent And in the mean time Captain Seafoul Gibson had a Commission and Arms for a hundred and twenty Men which he raised in Tredagh in two Hours time and that very Night they were set on the Watch and were kept to so hard Duty that this Captain and the Lord Moor did watch Ten Nights together in their own Persons which was the more troublesom to them because they were frequently on every day especially at Church-time disturb'd with Alarms purposely made by the Popish Inhabitants to distract them And altho' the Lord Moor had the good Success in several Sallies and Excursions to kill Two hundred of the Rebels and to take Eighty Prisoners whereof Six only were hang'd yet the Popish Townsmen finding that no Supply was come to the Town nor as they thought likely to come and that on the contrary the Rebels had taken Dundalk and Drâ—miskin formed several Contrivances to give up the Town One Night when they design'd it they were prevented by a Rumour That the Protestants had re-taken Newry and another Night Captain Nattervill who had form'd his half Company to his mind and was in
the Plot with the Popish Inhabitants began to quarrel with the Lord Moor and to commend the Irish and to affirm â—hey were not Rebels purposely to begin a Commotion but the Lord Moor by his Patience wisely baulked the others Expectation and by secret Orders got all his Men in readiness and thereby prevented the Execution of their Treachery for that time But on the Fourth of November Sir Henry Titchburne the new Governor with his Regiment of 1000 men arrived at Tredagh and there came with them Sir Thomas Lucas and Sir Adam Loftus's Troops of Horse but they were so coldly received by the Popish Inhabitants that the Governor waited in the Streets from two of the Clock till nine before he could get a Lodging and even then was fain to take one by his own Authority Whereby and by their former Carriage the Townsmen became so suspected that the Governor would not trust them with the Watch but drew out 300 of his wearied Soldiers to keep Guard that night The next day being the Fifth of November the new Governor took a diligent View of the Fortifications and caused four Pieces of Ordnance to be mounted on the Mill-mount and on the Tenth he received three new Companies of Foot under the Captains Bryan Trevor and Martin The Lord Moor made another Journey to Dublin to be present at the Parliament which sat the Sixteenth of November and generously offered to raise and cloath 600 Men to make the four Independent Companies at Tredagh a compleat Regiment but it was not accepted and instead of that a Recruit was sent from Dublin which was beaten at Gellinston-Bridge the Twenty ninth of November as hath been already mentioned so that only 100 Foot and half of the Earl of Ormond's Troop of Horse under the Command of Sir Patrick Weymes Major Roper and the Captains Cadowgan and Sounsly arrived at Tredagh In the mean time O Reyly having taken Kells Ardbrackan and Navan advanced to Platten to which place Darcy had invited several Protestant Officers of Tredagh to Dinner and if they had gone they had been finely entrapped but tho' they mist of that yet being fledg'd with the Victory at Gellingston-Bridge and well supplied with the Arms Ammunition and Money they got there they resolved to Besiege Tredagh and they were farther encouraged to it by their Surprize of a Bark from Chester with Ammunition and Arms which purposely ran aground at the Skirryes by the Treachery of some that were in her And so on the last Day of November the Rebels to the number of 14000 sat down before Tredagh on both sides of the Town and blocked up the River so that there could be no farther Correspondence with it by Sea or Land On the Third of December happened the first Skirmish for 350 Foot and two Troops of Horse being sent out to convey some Carriages from Greenhills notice thereof was given to the Rebels by some of the Town whereupon above 2000 of the Irish by means of a Fog fell upon the English before they were descried and that with so great a Shout as proclaimed their Number to be very great Hereupon some of the Popish Troopers that were in the Rear either through Cowardize or Treachery ran back to the Town with the bad News of being defeated whereupon the Carriages that were just come to the Gate pressed in for haste and stopt up the Gate which occasioned a great Confusion but the valiant Governor not at all dismaid alighted from his Horse and led on the Foot and having commanded the Musketeers up the Hill he ordered the Pikes in that narrow Passage of the Lane to open for the Horse and so charged the Rebels briskly and immediately forced them to run and having pursued them for a Mile and slain 200 of them he returned victoriously to his Garison It would be incredible that the Rebels should charge the English twice as they did and yet not kill one man of them if the like had not hapned very lately at Lisniskeagh This prodigious Victory animated the Protestants exceedingly and discouraged the others as much Nevertheless several Popish Soldiers of the Garison daily deserted And Captain Darcy and a Fryer of the same Name were sent by the Confederates to demand the Town For His Majesties Use and Service but were Answered That it was by His Majesties Command and Commission they held it and soon after the better to engage the Garison and Inhabitants and to secure their Fidelity the Governor devised an Oath To Defend the Town until it should be surrendred by the Consent of the Governor Mayor and major part of the Captains and Aldermen without special Command of the King or the Government But the Mayor and Aldermen flatly refused the Oath and some others that did take it did afterwards most perfidiously break it But on the Twenty first of December at night the Rebels upon a Watch-word or rather Notice from some of the Popish Inhabitants in the Town approached the Walls with a terrible Shout but the Governor commanded all the Townsmen to keep their Houses on pain of Death whereby the Rebels were disappointed of that Assistance they expected in the Town and were beaten off with considerable Loss But this did not hinder the treacherous Inhabitants from proceeding in their Conspiracies Burlace 62. Some of them had formed a clandestine Oath to seize on the Soldiers Arms and kill them in their Beds but that bloody Project was discovered by a Priest and so prevented On the Seventh of January part of the Garison made a Sally and slew a hundred and drowned another hundred of the Rebels and took some Arms Cows and other Booty to the value of 100 l. Nevertheless the Garison continued more pressed by Famine than by the Enemy when in the midst of their publick Devotion on the Eleventh of January a Pinnace a Frigat a Gabbard and two Shallops and another Vessel with Supplies of Ammunition Bisket Victuals and Money arrived in the Harbour The Popish Townsmen conceived they were Spaniards and could not conceal their Joy till it was turned into Sorrow upon the discovery that they were English Nevertheless this Supply had like to occasion the loss of the Town for the Soldiers had notwithstanding the Governor's Caution carouz'd too liberally being enticed by the Friers and other Papists in shew of Kindness to drink to Excess so that the Garison were really Vino Somnoque Sepulti which being notified to the Rebels occasion'd another Assault at Four a Clock the next Morning being the Twelfth of January They made a Breach in the Wall in an obscure place and entred with above 500 Men and marched as far as the Key undiscovered and then thinking the Town was their own they made a great Shout whereat the Governor unarm'd with his Pistols only in his hand ran down Stairs and was the first that caused a Drum to beat and soon got a good number of Soldiers about him and it hapning that the
Irish who had mounted two or three Brass Pieces and were forced to retreat and from a Castle at the end of that Street the Rebels had killed Ensign Fortescue who was the first Officer that was slain since the Defeat at Gellingston and some few Soldiers Whereupon the English set Fire to the Houses near the Castle so that the Smoak blowing towards the Castle the English came undiscover'd to the Gate and blew it up with Gunpowder whereat those within were so frightned that they fled out of the Window and a Serjeant and Five Men entred and were afterwards reinforced with Twenty four more and the Fire being quenched Two Pieces of Ordnance were drawn up against the inner Gate and the English being sheltered by some Wooll-packs found in the Castle got an Opportunity to gall the Enemy whilst Sir Henry Tichbourne with a Party of Horse marched on the back side of the Town to the North Gate and killed Forty Rebels in his way and entring at a Bye-gate found the Town deserted whereby a hundred and twenty Protestants were relieved and good Booty recovered with the Slaughter of a hundred Rebels and not above Fourteen or Fifteen of the Royalists which was the more considerable because the Irish in this Place were about Three thousand and the Assailants not full a thousand Sir Philemy and his Myrmidons were mightily enraged at this Defeat and in revenge murdered the Lord Cawfield and Mr. Blany and about Fifteen hundred other Protestants whom till then they had reserved for that purpose O Rely also murdered Sixty more of the English at Bolturbet and indeed it was seldom that the Irish met with any disappointment but they vented their Rage on the miserable Protestants that they had in their Power as if by sacrificing so many innocent Souls they could expiate the Guilt of their Cowardise and Treachery But these Successes of the English forced the Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale into Ulster where those losing Gamesters fell together by the Ears for Sir Philemy O Neal and the Ulster Men upbraided those of the Pale that they had formerly been their National Enemies and false to them and their Religion and that it was not past Memory since the Papists of the Pale had persuaded Ulster to a Religious Rebellion and left it in the lurch but that now the Ulster Men were quit with them having first exposed the Pale to the Fury of the English In short they renewed their Ancient and Hereditary Animosities and their Confederacy and Association was too feeble to extinguish or even suspend their National Antipathy derived from their different Extractions This unexpected and unseasonable Treatment from Ulster made such a deep Impression on the Mind of the Lord Gormanstown that it broke his Heart so that he died lamenting his great Folly in siding with the Irish against his own Country-men and some that survived were fully sensible of this Oversight but they were too far engag'd to retire and therefore they sought for Pretences and fish'd for Excuses to colour or extenuate their Crimes many of which being notoriously false and some of them ex post facto and so not pertinent were nevertheless jumbled together in an Apology which they afterwards sent to the King But we ought to cast an Eye on the rest of the Provinces and first on Munster where the first Appearance of the Rebellion was on the Twentieth of November at which time a numerous Rabble of the Irish plundered Mr. William Kingsmill at Ballyowen in the County of Typerary and carried away a great number of Cows and Sheep from him and his Neighbors This Attempt was the bolder because he was the Lord President 's Brother-in-Law and the Consequence of it was that the Lord President â—â—on notice thereof came with two Troops of Horse to Ballyowen and pursued the Tories killed some and hanged others and recovered some part of the stollen Cattel and afterwards in Cromwell's Time Mrs. Kingsmill sued some of these Robbers and got a Decree against them for 1500 l. The Irish pretend that some innocent People were kill'd in this Expedition and that the Lord Dunboyn and several Gentlemen of the County of Typerary came to the President to Clonmell and expostulated with him about the Violence of this Proceeding and that he should tell them that they were Rebels and that it was more prudent to hang than to trust any of them And when they have told this simple Story they think they have said enough to justifie their entring into the Rebellion From Clonmell the Lord President went into the County of Waterford upon notice that a Party of the Leinster Rebels had passed that way into his Province and he had the good fortune to rout them on the Second of December with the Slaughter of Two hundred of the Irish But in his absence the Inhabitants of Typerary to the number of Fifteen hundred assembled together to seise on the City of Cashel and destroy the English there and tho' they were by the Persuasions of some less barbarous than themselves diverted for that time from so cruel an Enterprise yet they could not abstain much longer but on the last day of December under the Leading of Philip O Duir they took Cashell and in cold Blood for there was no Resistance they murdered William Beaves and his Servant Thomas Sadler William Bonefeild and his Wife John Banister Mr. Car John Lents Richard Lane John Anderson Mr. Franklin Toby a Joyner and John Fowks The rest were saved for that time chiefly by the Piety and Compassion of Redmond English and Joseph Everard two Franciscan Friars who for that very Reason were in Cromwell's Time not only acquitted but privileged to live in the Country whilst others viz. Colonel Teige O Magher Lieutenant Colonel Donough O Dwir Theobald Butler Hugh Ryan Ulick Burk c. were in November 1653. tried condemn'd and executed for these barbarous Murders And the very next day being the first of January another Rabble seised on Fethard where they plundered all the English but murdered none except Mr. Low for which Fact three of the Murderers viz. Thomas Quigly James mac Hugh and Richard Nagle were afterwards condemn'd and hang'd The Loss of Fethard was followed with the Revolt of Clonmell Carrick and all the Towns in Typerary and of Waterford Limerick Kilmallock and Dungarvan And on the Twenty third day of January some of the Kennedyes murdered Twenty two English Servants to Sir George Hamilton at the Silver Mines and Two more viz. Thomas Gallop and Thomas Sadly were left wounded amongst the Dead but in the dark Night they made a shift to escape to Nenagh and were there preserved But the Irish did not dissemble the Matter any longer but in this very Month of January began to form their Men into Troops and Companies and hearing says an Irish Papist that the Lord Mountgarret had a Commission from the Lords Justices to raise Arms to suppress the Insurrection as indeed he had a
Commission to the Earl of Ormond and him to Govern the County of Kilkenny of the same Tenor as Appendix 8. they thought to colour their Proceedings thereby and therefore invited him to be their General And it seems his Lordship was ready to embrace the Offer for in the latter end of January he came with Fifteen Companies to Cashell and being assisted by Purcell Titular Baron of Loghmore to whom likewise the Lords Justices had sent Arms and by the Lords of Ikerin Dunboyn Cahir and Castleconell they took Ballyowen and blockt up Gowlin and Knockordan and then marched to Kilmallock and so towards Mallow but near the Mountain above Donerayl the Lord president faced the Rebels He had with him the Lords Barymore Dungarvan and Broghill Sir Hardress Waller Sir Edward Denny Sir John Brown Major Searle and Captain Kingsmill and about Six hundred Foot and Three hundred Horse Whilst he staid there the Rebels did not dare to advance but his Presence being necessary at Cork he was after eight days stay thereabouts obliged to retire to that City whereupon the Irish advanc'd to Mallow and took the short Castle there upon Articles which they did not perform At Mallow there arose a Difference amongst the Irish about the Supreme Command of the Army The Lord Roch and others of Munster thought they ought to have a General of their own Province and to avoid Competition amongst the Lords they pitch'd upon Garret Barry and appointed the Lord Muskery and other Great Men to be the Council of War Hereupon the Lord Mountgarret return'd to Typerary where he met the News That the Men which were in Gowlin Castle had escaped into the Mountains where most of them were murdered by James Butler of Ruskagh for which Fact he was tried before Colonel Sanky Anno 1653. and afterwards hang'd and that the Women and Children left in the Castle were likewise inhumanly butcher'd by the Irish for which Barbarity Peirce Butler and his Son Thomas James Butler of Boyton-Rath and Thomas Kent were likewise tried condemned and executed Anno 1653. As for the County of Cork which by the noble Plantations made by the Earl of that Name became the best inhabited with English of any County in that Kingdom it was in a great measure preserv'd by the Generosity and Diligence of that Earl who was then newly return'd out of England he rais'd Two Troops of Horse under his Sons the Lords of Kinalmeky and Broghil and Four hundred Foot all which he maintained for some Months as his own Charge and sent a hundred of them to Asketon a hundred to Lismore and kept Two hundred with himself at Youghall Nevertheless that County was not without its share of Disturbance tho' it was the last County wherein the Rebellion broke out and they began it as elsewhere by robbing and plundring bare-fac'd and at Noon-day and in Multitudes and afterwards committed some Murders but not so many as in other Places because the English were powerful in this County and therefore the Rebels were in more fear to be called to account for their Exorbitances However at Glandore they gagg'd several English to death and in another place they ty'd an Englishman's Guts to the Post and made him dance round it till he died they broil'd a piece of a Scotch Minister's Breech and made him eat it they hang'd Robert Scot of Newcestown and his two Daughters in Muskery tho' he went voluntarily there to a Friend for Protection and in like manner John Burrows was serv'd at Ballynorohur by his Landlord Mac-ni-crimin who was tried and executed for it afterwards at Bandon They hang'd Andrew a Servant of Mr. Hazell's and which was worse than all he rest Mr. Linscomb Sovereign of Cloghnikilty having much Intimacy with the Irish staid behind his Neighbors in confidence of Protection but contrary to his Expectation and their Promises they first made him drunk till he vomited and then made him eat it up and immediately hang'd him at his own Door and having by Promises of sending her safe to Kinsale persuaded his Wife to discover 120 l. in Money she had hid at Muckrus as soon as they got it they threw her and her Sister into a deep Pit and there they left them till they were starved And altho' there were not many downright Murthers committed in this County yet by reason of the universal Robbing and Plundring and the great Want and Hardships this Insurrection exposed the miserable English to many thousands of them perished and particularly in the Town of Bandon there died above a Thousand in the first Year of this Rebellion and great Numbers likewise met with the same Fate at Cork Kinsale and Youghall To stop this Torrent the Lord President raised a Regiment of Foot and Two Troops of Horse and did what he could to prepare for his Defence And it was but needful to do so for the Rebels being extraordinary numerous thought themselves able to besiege Cork Kinsale and Bandon at the same time In order to this Mr. Long High Sheriff of the County of Cork form'd a Camp at Belgooly about Two Miles from Kinsale and to him came Mac-Finin's Brother called Captain Sugane and march'd from Kerry through Muskery and Carbery to the Camp and Dermond ni Glack of Littergorman with another Party march'd down to Kilgoban-Castle on the River of Bandon and surprized it This Camp at Belgooly continued the rest of this Winter and was supplied with Ammunition and other Necessaries even from some of the Popish Inhabitants of Kinsale but at length half the Lord Baltinglass his Company being Forty five Men arrived by Sea at Kinsale on the Fifth of April and brought with them Eight Barrels of Powder whereof Six were the next day sent to Bandon guarded by the Bandon Troop which fell into an Ambuscade but the Kinsale Troop just then parted from them return'd seasonably to their Succour and between them they kill'd Eighty of the Rebels and then each Troop return'd safe to their respective Garisons and the next day the Camp at Belgooly was dissolv'd and most of the Soldiers went to reinforce the Blockade at Cork And about the same time viz. in February Mac Carthy Riagh who had dissembled the Matter and pretended Loyalty and that he would side with the English until he got some Arms from the Lord Viscount Kinalmeky and then declared the very next day with about Three thousand raw Men and ill armed came to besiege the Town of Bandon But the valiant Bandonians scorned to be pent up by such a pitiful Rabble and therefore having form'd themselves into Four Companies under the Captains Watkins Woodhouse Jefford and Hooper and One Troop Battel of Knockagarane under their Governor the Lord Kinalmeky they sallied out and whilst the Foot marched up the direct Road to Cloghnakilty the Horse went round by Castlemahon so to fall on the Rear but the Foot came up first and one Company led by Captain Watkins within-side the Ditch
and attacked them so briskly that they quickly fled but by reason of the adjacent Bog and the harrass'd Condition of the English Horse there was not much Execution done the number of the Slain not exceeding Five hundred amongst which were the Lord Dunboyn's Brother the Lord Ikerin's Son and Colonel â—â—vâ—nagh and on the English side not above Twenty killed and Forty wounded However it was an entire Victory all their Powder and Amunition the Generals Waggon drawn with Eight Oxen his and the Lords of Ikerin's Sumptures and Twenty Colours being taken and for this great Service the Lieutenant General had a Letter of thanks from the Parliament of England and a Jewel worth 500 l. Soon after arrived at Dublin Philip Lord Lisle Lieutenant General of the Horse and his first Essay was to relieve the Castle of Geashill which with Three hundred Horse and One hundred and twenty Foot he easily effected he was accompanied by old Sir Charles Coot in this Action who at a Council of War told the rest that if they made haste they might easily pass the Defiles and Causeways before the Enemy could get together to oppose them whereto another reply'd that perhaps that might be so but when the Countrey was Alarm'd how should they get back I protest said Sir Charles Coot I never thought of that in my Life I always considered how to do my business and when that was done I got home again as well as I could and hitherto I have not mist of forcing my way and accordingly they went and their march was so swift that they came unexpectedly to Phillipstowne and took it and on their return they followed some of the Popish Lords of the Pale to Trim and forced that place likewise and by Coot's advice resolved to make it a Garison and therefore in order to settle this Affair with the Lords Justices the Lord Lisle guarded by some of the Horse went to Dublin but the next night after he was gone the Irish to the number of Three thousand came in the dead of the night to surprise Trim but the Centinel gave the Alarm and thereupon Sir Charles Coot with all the Horse he could get being not above Seventeen issued out of the Gate and was followed by others as fast as they could get ready The Success was answerable to so generous an Undertaking and the Irish were routed without any other considerable Loss on the English Side except that of Sir Charles Coot himself who was shot dead but whether by the Enemy or one of his own Troopers is variously reported Upon his Death the Government of Dublin was given to the Lord Lambert on the Twelfth of May and tho' in July Colonel Monk had it by the Lord Lieutenant's Order yet as soon as the King was informed that it had been predisposed to the Lord Lambert Monk was removed and the Lord Lambert was confirmed And on the Twenty third of May the Marquis of Ormond publish'd a Proclamation against the Exorbitances of the Soldiers and to supply their Necessities the Lords Justices gave them Custodiums on the Villages in the Irish Quarters which produced good Effects both in relieving the Soldiers and in annoying the Rebels On the first of June came over some Regiments under the Conduct of Sir Foulk Hunks and Lieutenant Colonel Kirke whereupon the Earl of Ormond with Four thousand five hundred Foot and Six hundred Horse marched to the Relief of Athlone and in his way took in the Castles of Knocklinch Trimletstown and Kinkelfe and beat Five hundred Rebels from Ballynecurr but upon his approach the Rebels burnt Molingar and Bullymore and Sir James Dillon and the Irish Army thought fit to withdraw so that the Lord President of Connaught with Fifty Horse and Two hundred Foot met the Marquis of Ormond Five Miles from Athlone and received from him Two Regiments of Foot and Two Troops of Horse and then both these Lords return'd the one to Athlone and the other to Dublin About the same time viz. in June Colonel Monk marching to reinforce the Lieutenant-General took Castleknock and killed Eighty Rebels besides some that he hanged and a while after he took the Castles of Rathroffy and Clongowswood in the County of Kildare and did good Execution upon the Enemy and of Seventy which he had taken Prisoners most of them being murdering Rebels were afterwards executed at Dublin And on the Twentieth of the same Month Colonel Gibson made a prosperous Incursion into Wicklow and killed many of the Confederates and brought home a considerable Prey But on the Twenty first of June the Irish Parliament sat according to the Prorogation and the Lower House voted That the Oath of Supremacy should be tendred to all their Members that so the Rotten ones may be cut off and new ones chosen in their room and to that purpose a Bill was prepar'd and sent into England and it seems that they did proceed to chuse new Members for the Corporations and Counties within their power in stead of those that were in actual Rebellion which was one of the Grievances the Confederates afterwards complain'd of And it is worthy Observation The Proclamation Burlace Append. p. 57. That the Lords Justices and Council finding the Rebellion to be so general that all Degrees and Conditions of the Irish had with hateful and bloody obstinacy either publickly or privately contributed to the Destruction and Extirpation of the Protestants and that those under Protection abused that Favour to murder and rob the English the more slily and securely they did by their Order of the Nineteenth of August revoke repeal and annul all Protections that had been given to any Rebel before that time which was one of the wisest Acts that was done in the whole War for nothing is more experimentally true than this That the English never or very seldom suffered by the Irish at open Defiance but have been often destroyed by their Perfidiousness and Treachery But to proceed In August the Lord Moor Sir John Burlace junior and Colonel Gibson with Fifteen hundred Men two Pieces of Battery and two Field-pieces marched into the Counties of Louth and Meath and took the strong Castle of Sedan with the Slaughter of Five hundred Rebels whereat the Lords Gormanstown and Nettervill were so frightned that the former quitted the Fort of Nabar and the other deserted the Castle of Newtown whereby those Counties of Louth and Meath were cleared of the Enemy And this good Success was followed by more of the same sort for the Captains Piggot and Grimâ—s defeated a Party of Eight hundred Rebels near Athy and killed Two hundred of them and the Lord Lisle in the midst of September marched without controul through West-Meath and Cavan and destroyed the Country burnt the Earl of Fingall's House and his Town of Virginia and at last sat down before Carrickmacross which after one days Battery was deserted by the Cowardly Ward But in October the Rebels to the number of Two
they presented a handsom Address to His Majesty at Oxford quod vide Burlace 112. and on the First of December they received the following Gracious Answer from the King THat His Majesty hath since the beginning of that monstrous Rebellion had no greater Sorrow than for the Bleeding Condition of that His Kingdom and as He hath by all Means laboured that timely Relief might be afforded to the same and consented to all Propositions how disadvantagious soever to Himself that have been offered Him for that purpose and at first recommended their Condition to Both Houses of Parliament and immediately of His own mere Motion sent over several Commissions and caused some Proportion of Arms and Ammunition which the Petitioners well know to have been a great Support to the Northern Parts of that Kingdom to be conveyed to them out of Scotland and offered to find Ten thousand Voluntiers to undertake that War but hath often since prest by many several Messages that sufficient Succours might be hastned thither and other Matters of smaller Importance laid by which did divert it and offered and most really intended in His own Royal Person to have undergone the Danger of that War for the Defence of His Good Subjects and the Chastisement of those perfidious and barbarous Rebels and in His several Expressions of His Desires of Treaty and Peace hath declared the miserable present Condition and certain future Loss of Ireland to be one of His principal Motives most earnestly to desire that the present Distraction of this Kingdom might be compos'd and that others would concur with Him to the same End So His Majesty is well pleased that His Offers Concurrence Actions and Expressions are so rightly understood by the Petitioners and those who have imployed them notwithstanding the groundless and horrid Aspersions which have been cast upon Him but wishes That instead of a mere General Complaint to which His Majesty can make no Return but of Compassion they could have digested and offered to Him any such Desires by consenting to which He might convey at least in some degree Comfort and Life to that gasping Kingdom preserve His Distressed and Loyal Subjects of the same from inevitable perishing and the True Protestant Religion from being scorn'd and trampled on by those Merciless and Idolatrous Rebels And if the Petitioners can yet think on any such and propose to his Majesty He assures them That by his readiness to Consent and his Thanks to them for the Proposal he will make it appear to them that their most pressing personal Sufferings cannot make them more desirous of relief than his Care of the true Religion and of his faithful Subjects and of that Duty which obliges him to his Power to protect both renders him desirous to afford it to them But whatever good words the Irish Protestant Committee met with it is certain they got but very little Assistance so that the Lords Justices were reduced to the last Extremity whereupon they ordered the Citizens of Dublin to bring in half their Plate to be Coyned promising that they should be satisfied for it out of the next Supply and upon this Proclamation Twelve hundred Pounds worth of Plate was brought in Tho there were but three Papists that sent in any But it is time to return to the Army which was in great straits in Dublin and exceedingly oppressive to the Inhabitants it was therefore ordered they should enlarge their Quarters and the Lords Justices and some others having Coyned their own Plate to enable it to march It did accordingly issue out of Dublin to the number of Two thousand five hundred Foot and Five hundred Horse under the Marquess of Ormond on the Second of March and on the Third took Castlemartin and Tully and on the Fourth took Tymolin with the Slaughter of One hundred Rebels and on the Twelfth they came before the Town of Ross and having made a Breach in the Walls they assaulted it but without effect whereupon the Irish Army under General Preston consisting of Six thousand Foot and Six hundred and fifty Horse drew so near that they sent a considerable Supply into the Town and put a necessity upon the English Army not only to draw off from the Siege but also to give them Battel whereupon some of the Horse really suspected that Ormond had betrayed them and tho' most of them were Men of known Courage yet they fled very early and before the Battel was well begun however Ormond maintained the fight with his Infantry and the Horse that staid with him and at the same time gave Demonstration both of his Integrity Battel of Ross 18th of March 1642. and of that Presence of mind which was natural to him and never left him in the greatest Adversity and the issue was a compleat and entire Victory over the Irish Army whereof Lieutenant General Cullen and the rest of the Prisoners and the Baggage that was taken were undeniable Evidences nevertheless there were not above Three hundred of the Rebels slain in this Battel but many of them were principal Commanders and Persons of Note In Munster 1642. Affairs were managed this Year with alternate Success the English prospered well enough in the County of Cork but suffered in most other parts of the Province in April the valiant Bandonians took the Castle of Downdaniel and killed One hundred Rebels near Powlalong and got considerable Booty in both places and afterwards being assisted by the English at Kinsale they did on the Fourth of May take the strong Castle of Carriginass and the next day the Castle of Powlalong was surrendred to them and the Castle of Kilgoban was deserted by the Ward And about the same time Captain Scurlock with about Seven hundred Rebels of the County of Waterford made a brisk Attempt on Capoquin but the valiant Governour Captain Crocker with One hundred Men encountred him in the Town and killed Scurlock and routed his Forces On the Eighteenth of May the Lord of Insiquin defeated a Party of Irish in the Barony of Fermoy and killed above One hundred of them and on the Nineteenth Colonel Brocket Landed at Kinsale with Four hundred and sixty Men of Sir John Pawlett's Regiment of Foot whereupon Mountlong was deserted by the Irish on the Twenty fifth and the same day the Castle of Ballincolly was taken by the Lord President and on the Twenty ninth the Castles of Coolmain and Kilbrittain were taken by the Bandonians as the Castle of Cloleigh was on the Twenty third of July by the Earl of Barrymore But in the midst of these small Victories the Lord President Saintleger died at Cork on the Second of July whereupon the Government of that Province in civil Matters was committed to the Earl of Barymore and Lord of Insiquin but the Military Affairs were subjected to the Lord of Insiquin's sole Command And on the Fourth of July the Lord Broghill on his return from the relief of Knockmone met a Party of Rebels strongly
Counsels near Your Majesty in opposition of the Parliament and favour of the Malignant Party of this Kingdom 6. It will bereave Your Parliament of that advantage whereby they were induced to undertake this War upon Your Majesties Promise that it should be managed by their Advice which cannot be done if Your Majesty contrary to their Counsels shall undertake to Order and Govern it in Your own Person Upon which and divers other Reasons We have resolved by the full and concurring Agreement of both Houses that We cannot with discharge of our Duty Consent to any Levios or raising of Soldiers to be made by your Majesty for this your intended Expedition into Ireland or to the Payment of any Army or Soldiers there but such as shall be employed and governed according to Our Advice and Direction and that if such Levies shall be made by any Commission of your Majesty not agreed too by both Houses of Parliament We shall be forced to interpret the same to be raised to the Terror of your People and disturbance of the publick Peace and hold our selves bound by the Laws of the Kingdom to apply the Authority of Parliament to suppress the same And We do further most humbly Declare That if your Majesty shall by ill Counsel be perswaded to go contrary to this Advice of your Parliament which We hope your Majesty will not We do not in that Case hold Our selves bound to submit to any Commissioners which your Majesty shall chuse but do Resolve to preserve and govern the Kingdom by the Counsel and Advice of Parliament for your Majesty and your Posterity according to Our Allegiance and the Law of the Land Wherefore We do most humbly Pray and Advise your Majesty to desist from this your intended Passage into Ireland and from all Preparations of Men and Arms tending thereunto and to leave the managing of that War to your Parliament according to your Majesties Promise made unto Us and your Royal Commission Granted under your Great Seal of England by Advice of both Houses in Prosecution whereof by God's Blessing We have already made a prosperous Entrance by many defeats of the Rebels whereby they are much weakened and disheartened and have no probable means of Subsistence if Our Proceedings shall not be interrupted by this Interposition of your Majesties Journey but that we may hope upon good Grounds that within a short time without hazard of your Majesties Person and so much dangerous Confusion to your Kingdoms which must needs ensue if you should proceed in this Resolution We shall be enabled fully to vindicate your Majesties Right and Authority in that Kingdom and punish those horrible Outragious Cruelties which have been committed in the murthering and spoiling so many of your Subjects and bring that Realm to such a Condition as may be much for the advantage of your Majesty and this Crown the Honour of your Government and the Contentment of your People For the better and mâ—re speedy effecting whereof We do again renew Our humble Desires of your Return to your Parliament and that You will please to reject all Counsels and Apprehensions which may any way derogate from that Faithfulness and Allegiance which in Truth and Sincerity We have always born and professed to your Majesty and shall ever make good to the uttermost with our Lives and Fortunes To this Answer The King made the following Reply We are so troubled and astonished to find the unexpected Reception and mis-understanding of our Message of the Eighth of April concerning our Irish Journey that being so â—â—ch disappointed of the Approbation and Thanks we looked for to that Declaration We have great cause to doubt whether it be in Our Power to say or do any thing which shall not fall within the like Interpretation but as we have in that Message called God to witness the Sincerity of the Profession of Our only Ends for the undertaking that Journey So We must appeal to all our good Subjects and the whole World whether the Reasons alledged against that Journey be of weight to satisfie Our understanding or the Counsel Presented to disswade Us from it be full of that Duty as is like to prevail over Our Affections For Our Resolving of so great a business without the Advice of Our Parliament We must remember you how often by Our Messages We made the same offer if you should Advise Us thereunto To which you never gave Us the least Answer but in your late Declaration told Us That ye were not to be satisfied with Words So that we had Reason to conceive you rather avoided out of regard to our Person to give Us Counsel to run that hazard than that you disapproved the inclination And what greater Comfort or Security can the Protestants of Christendom receive tâ—â—n by seeing a Protestant King venture and engage his Person for the defence of that Profession and the Suppressing of Popery to which We Solemnly protested in that Message never to Grant a Toleration upon what Pretence soever or an Abolition of any of the Laws there in force against the Professâ—rs of it And when We consider the great Calamities and unheard of Cruelties Our poor Protestant Subjects in that Kingdom have undergone for the space of near or full Six Months the growth and increase of the Strength of those barbarous Rebels and the evident Probability of foreign Supplies if they are not speedily suppressed the very slow Succours hitherto sent them from hence That the Officers of several Regiments who have long time been allowed Entertainment from you for that Service have not raised any Supply or Succour for that Kingdom That many Troops of Horse have long lain near Chester untransported 〈◊〉 the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland on whom We relyed principally for the Conduct and managing of Affairs there is still in this Kingdom notwithstanding our Earnestness expressed that he should repair to his Command And when We consider the many and great Scandals raised upon Our Selves by report of the Rebels and not sufficiently discountenanced here notwithstanding so many Professions of Ours And had seen a Book lately Printed by the Order of the House of Commons Entituled A Remonstrance of divers remarkable Passages concerning the Church and Kingdom of Ireland Wherein some Examinations are set down which how improbable or impossible soever may make an impression in the Minds of many of Our weak Subjects And Lastly when We duly weigh the Dishonour which will perpetually lye upon this Kingdom if full and speedy Relief be not dispatched thither We could not nor cannot think of a better way to discharge Our Duty to Almighty God for the defence of the true Protestant Profession or to manifest Our Affection to Our Three Kingdoms for their Preservation than by engaging Our Person in this Expedition as many of Our Royal Progenitors have done even in Foreign parts upon Causes of less Importance and Piety with great Honour to themselves and advantage to this Kingdom and
suffer the Right of the Crown to be destroyed by any way but shall Lett it to your power and if you cannot Lett the same you shall certifie His Majesty clearly and expresly thereof you shall give your true and faithful Council for the King's Majesty's Profit and his Highness's Council you shall conceal and keep All other things for the Preservation of His Majesty's Realm of Ireland the Peace amongst His People and Execution of His Justice according to His Majesty's Laws Usages and Customs of His Highness's Realm you shall perform and do to your power So God you help and by the Contents of this Book The Lord Lieutenant did immediately set himself to reform the Army and reduced his own Troop to 40 and Lucas and Armstrong's Troops to 30 each and the other two Troops to 25 each so that he had in all but 150 Horse and 2000 Foot and to maintain these he was forced to revive the Excise and to lay a Tax of 3d. per Acre throughout that part of the Pale under his power and to seize on some Debts and Tobacco belonging to the Londoners and on the 16th of March he issued a Proclamation to prohibit Outrages and Robberies on pain of Death And thus Matters stood in Ireland at the end of the Year 1643. Nor can we open the following Year with a better Scene than a Session of Parliament 1644. which was held at Dublin on the 17th of April and the very next day the Speakers of both Houses issued Letters to the Officers of the Army strictly prohibiting them from taking the Solemn League and Covenant and in those Letters they took notice of the Lords Justices and Councils Proclamations of the 18th of December 1643 to the same effect And on the 20th of May the Government issued a Proclamation to free from Customs and Impositions for 6 Months all Goods and Commodities that shall be imported for the Relief of the Army into Dublin Drogheda Carlingford Dundalk Cork Youghall or Kinsale But we must leave Ireland for a while and adjourn to Oxford which was the Theater on which the Affairs of that Kingdom were for the present transacted and therefore the Negotiations there shall be handled together and they happened in this manner The Cessation being made as hath been already related the Confederates chose the Lord Viscount Muskery Sir Robert Talbot Dermond mac Teig O Brian c. As their Agents to sollicite the King in England about the Terms of a Peace and the Lords Justices did likewise as from the Council-Board send Sir William Stuart Sir Gerard Lowther Sir Philip Percival 1643. and Justice Donelan to whom Sir George Ratcliff and Sir William Sambach being then at London were added But the Protestants not knowing of this last or not thinking that these Agents would effectually insist upon Their Sense of Affairs or were prepared to prove their Grievances Did on the Sixth of October meet at the Earl of Kildare's House and agreed upon a Petition which they preferred to the Lords Justices and Coâ—ncil desiring leave for their Agents to repair to the King and that the Irish Agents might not be heard till they should arrive and that Care might be taken to continue the present Parliament which by Change of one of the Lord Justices was in Danger of being dissolved To which on the Twelfth of October they received a favourable Answer That they the Lords Justices had taken care to send Protestant Agents to the King to assist in the Treaty and that nevertheless they would transmit a Copy of the Petitioners request to His Majesty and if His Majesty would License their Departure they would not hinder it But the Protestants knowing that even of late time Agents had gone to the King without such special License from His Majesty they did on the Fourthteenth of October proceed to the Choice of Four Persons fit to be employed and prepared a Petition to the King and then Petitioned the Lords Justices and Council To transmit that Address to His Majesty and to License their Agents to repair unto him to England and on the 19th the Lords Justices answered That they had signified their former Petition to his Majesty and had importuned Secretary Nicholas for a speedy Answer which the Petitioners ought to expect and that in the mean time they would not hinder the Agents from going when they pleased but could not recommend them to the King until His Majesties Pleasure were known The Lord Chancellor Bolton took an Exception to the Copy of the Petition that it was not signed as the Original was which Nicety was soon answered by transcribing the Names of the Subscribers but the Earl of Roscomon Sir James Ware and one other who had signed the first Petition went farther and entered the following Protestation concerning it The Sense of divers of his Majesties Protestants Subjects who have Signed to the late Petition directed to His Majesty SUffering under the Mis-construction of Our Petition We hold it fit to declare that We exhibited not the same through want of Assurance of His Majesties Care of the Protestant Religion and of his Subjects nor yet to divert any Supplies that may be drawn from hence against such as in his Kingdom of England have taken up Arms against him but meerly in Right to Gods Cause and in Our Right humbly to inform His Majesty when the Irish Agents repair unto him if the said Agents shall endeavour to surprise or prejudice Us in either this is the Commission We give and if any Person or Persons imployed by Us shall go further or otherwise busie themselves to the disturbance of His Majesties Service against such We do and shall protest as being in Our Intentions no Parties thereunto which as it may serve to vindicate our Faith to His most sacred Majesty so it may shew how Causeless the Jealousies are of this Address to him And thus it stood till January when His Majesties Letter of the Sixth of November arrived and thereby License was granted to the Petitioners to send their Four Agents whereupon the Petitioners chose Sir Charles Coot and Captain William Parsons to be added to the Four they had pitched upon before and presented their Names to the Lord Lieutenant and on the Seventeenth day of February following the Commons of the Irish Parliament approved of what the Petitioners had done and declared their Concurrence therewith whereupon the Petitioners moved the Lord Lieutenant and Council for a recommendation to His Majesty both of their Cause and Agents and being demanded they produced their Instructions which were rectified as is mentioned Appendix 22. and then they were informed that it would gain them favour with the King if they carried over their Companies with them except Sir Charles Coot's which was in Conaught but Captain Parsons his Troop chose rather to be disbanded then to go over to Fight against their Countrey-men but Captain Ridgway's and Sir Francis Hamiltons Companies were Transported under their
their Parties had commonly the Better tho' their Armies had commonly the worse in all Encounters Review 84. but there is no General rule without Exception so this Party of Horse was lost and the Foot thereupon quitted the Castle and Bridge and ran to find out their General who was securely posted amongst the Rivers and Bogs in Westmeath where the Scots faced and braved him but for want of Provisions could not stay long enough to do any great Prejudice nevertheless they hanged Nugent of Carlestown and burnt his House Upon the retreat of the Scots Castlehaven says that he followed them to Dromore and tells some fine Stories to his own Credit but the issue is that with much ado he got home again Owen Roe having failed of his promised Assistance In the mean time In July the Marquess of Antrim â—ound means to send Two thousand five hundred Irish to Scotland to joyn with Montross that so by giving the Scots Employment in their own Country he might divert them from sending Recruits into Ireland And it is to be noted that the Confederates did both send and receive Ambassadors to and from foreign Princes viz. They sent to France at several times Mr. Rochfort â—ather Mathew Hartegan Colonel Fitz Williams and Mr. Geofry Baron and received from France Mr La. Monarie Mr. Du Moulin and Mr. Talloon they sent to Spain Father James Talbot and had from thence Mr. Fuysot the Count of Beerhaven i.e. O Sullevan Beer and Don Diego de la Torres they sent to the Pope Mr. Richard Beling and afterwadrs the Bishop of Fernes and Mr. Nicholas Plunket and the Pope sent them first Peter Franciscus Scarampo and afterwards his Nuncio the Bishop of Firmo And therefore it is fit I give the Reader some Account of their Negotiation which I shall as I have information and opportunity and for the present shall feast him with some Extracts out of Father Hartegan's intercepted Letters who in November 1644. wrote to the Supream Council to the Effect following viz. That my Lord Abbot Mountague said to him in his Ear that he should write to your Lordships not to trust most of the English even the very Catholicks who have more National then Religious Thoughts That the Queen talking of Ormond said it was hard to Trust Believe or Rely upon any Irish-man that is a Protestant for every such Irish-man that goes to Church does it against his Conscience and knows he betrayes God That Clanrickard had something of Essex his Brother-in-Law otherwise he should be for the Catholicks which are known to be faithful to the King whereof no Man doubts now That he should know all little Passages Resolutions and Things that pass daily in Dublin Ulster and Cork and you should write the words uttered by Ormond Clanrickard and Insiquin even when they are at Table and in Conversation That you shall have Succours to prevent your inglorious falling to Peace and Rome and France will dispute who shall contribute most to you so that you may see Father Wadding and I do not sleep in your Affairs That Clanrickard Robs more from the Catholick Party than the Villanous Scots That the King is easie and not to be trusted That the Confederates are backward in declining the Old English That if they had Gallantry they might expect a Temporal Crown in reward That Castlehaven is more Nationally then Religiously inclined That Ormond is a Viper and an Idolater of Majesty That the Queen will be cast upon the Irish and therefore advises them to Play the cunning Workmen to take measure of her But we need say no more of this Embassador than what the Queen observes of him in her Letter to the Lord Digby Husbands 2 part 833. viz. That many things he hath written are Lies In England the Lord Macguire and Macmahon were brought to their Trial and found Guilty Condemn'd and Executed at Tyburn but because Macguire was a Peer of Ireland it was made a Question Whether he could be Tried in England for Treason committed in Ireland since thereby he lost the Benefit of his Peerage And tho' it seems to me that the Point had been formerly determin'd in the Case of the Lord Leonard Grey who was Viscount Grany yet it held a long Debate and there being many Curiosities in that Trial I design to add it by way of Appendix unless this Book grow too Voluminous for such an Addition And in January began the Treaty of Uxbridge where the King's Power to make the Cessation was denied both because of His Delegating the Management of the War to the Parliament and because of the Interest of the Adventurers To which it was answered That the King by authorizing the Parliament did not exclude Himself There were also reciprocal Accusations and Recriminations from each Party to the other which are too tedious to be here recited and therefore I refer the Reader for them to Dugdale's View of the late Troubles where he may find them at large Nor is it to be omitted that even whilst this Treaty was in agitation and in order to it the Treaty with the Irish was in effect superseded a certain Irish Lord was no less unseasonably than importunately pressing His Majesty to be made a Privy-Counsellor and to have a Custodium granted him of Sir Robert King's Estate tho' either of these being granted and divulg'd would have dash'd in pieces all Hopes of Reconciliation between the King and Parliament So little did they consider the King's Interest when it stood in competition with their own And when I have added That the Confederates did publish a Declaration of the Terms upon which Protestants might live within their Quarters which is to be found Appendix 11. and that the Citizens of Dublin being numbred on the Eighth of August were found to be 2565 Men and 2986 Women Protestants and 1202 Men and 1406 Women Papists I have inserted all that I think material for the Year 1644. The Year 1645. could not begin better than in reviving the Treaty of Peace which was then reassumed if the Confederates had proceeded candidly and sincerely therein but they perceiving that Ormond would never be prevailed upon to grant them the Terms they desir'd did keep this Treaty on foot to cover their other Designs and in the mean time by their Agent Colonel Fitz-Williams they propos'd to the Queen That if Her Majesty would prevail with the King to condescend to the Just Demands of the Irish at least in private that then they would assist His Majesty with Ten thousand Men. Whereupon the Queen either through Her Indulgence to Popery or to purchase so considerable Aids for the King did promise Her utmost Endeavors to effect their Desires and accordingly She sent Sir Kenelme Digby to Rome where he made the Articles recited at large Appendix 26. which nevertheless had no effect because the * * Vindiciae eversae 48. King could not by any means be brought to confirm them And She
Prisoners but he had not so good luck in his next attempt for a Party of his going to plunder the great Island were by Major Power who had not at first above 30 Horse but afterwards was reinforced by two Companies of Foot so handled that they left five hundred of their Companions dead upon the place however he afterwards took Castle-Lions Cony-Castle and Lismore which last place was bravely defended by the same Major Power and 100 of the Earl of Cork's Tenants to the Slaughter of 500 of the Besiegers until their Powder being spent they surrendred upon honourable Conditions After this Castleâ—aven went to besiege Youghall a weak and untenable place and lay before it many weeks and having received several considerable Baffles by the handful of Men that were within the Town he was at last forced to raise the Siege and close the Campagne with that misfortune And thus Matters stood in Munster till the latter end of the year at which time Inâ—iquin sent 500 Foot and 100 Troopers to seize upon the Castle of Bunratty which they performed and there found Horses enough to mount their Cavalry And as for Conaught it was under a Triumvirate of Presidents the Lord Dillon of Câ—stilo was the King's President and Sir Charles Coot was the Parliaments and the Titular Archbishop of Tuam was commissioned by the Confederates But Coot was too hard for both his Rivals and being united with the Lagan Forces under Sir Robert 〈◊〉 Colonel Awdly Mervin c. they made up in all 〈◊〉 Regiments with which they marched through Conaught and burnt the Country to within 6 miles of Galloway without meeting an Enemy in the Field they also took Sligo with the loss of Twenty of their own Men and the Slaughter of One hundred and twenty of the Rebels and Colonel Mervin being chosen by a Council of War to be Governour of Sligo as he well deserved was nevertheless by means of the Scots put by that Command which was given to Sir Robert Stewart whereupon Colonel Mervin came away discontented and notified to the Lord Lieutenant his Design of adhering to the King Hereupon the Confederates gave the Lord Taaf the Command of an Army to relieve Conaught and he issued forth a terrible Declaration That whoever did not submit to his Majesties Commission conferred on him within two days after Notice should be treated as an Enemy and on the 4th of August he summoned Castlecoot which returned this Answer That they neither broke the Cessation noâ— used Hostility at any time but when the Irish began That their misbehaviour forced them to correspond with the Scots whom they did not know or believe to be declared Enemies of the King That they would always submit to the Kings Pleasure but may not in any sort confide in such breach of Faith at they always find from the Irish Nation to their Party and instanced the burning of their Hay even then in the time of the Treaty and they desire a Copy of his Commission which his Lordship pretended was from the Lord Lieutenant And so his Lordship finding no good to be done upon Castlecoot at that time marched to Tulak which he took by Assault the 17th of August and having besieged Abby Boyle in vain after the Garison for their better defence were forced to burn the Town he agreed that upon an Oath of Fidelity and to observe the Cessation they should be no farther molested and the like Agreements were made with the Castles of Cambo and Lissidarne and it seems that afterwards the Irish Army returned to the Siege of Castlecoot and forced it to surrender about the 10th day of September In the mean time 1645. on the 16th of August the Bishop of Elphin and his Son Captain Tilson by Letter submitted to the Lord Dillon President of Conaught and on the 19th the Lord President at the Head of the Army came thither accompanied with the Lord Taaf and told the Bishop that Captain Tilson and his Foot Company must quit the Castle of Elphin within two hours and tho' they offered to take any Oath of Fidelity to His Majesties Service and the Bishop offered to stand obliged for the performance of what they should Promise or Swear yet all would not do but the Lord President and Lord Taaf having at length condescended to Sign some Articles for their Security they marcht out of the Castle into the Village and the Lord President and his Guard lodged in the Castle that Night and afterwards left it under the Command of Captain John Brown who admitted Boetius Egan the Titular Bishop of Elphin into the Castle on the 7th of September being accompanied with Sir Lucas Dillon and they made a Guard for the Bishop on the Knee from the Gate to the Church where the Bishop Rung one Bell and one of the Six Fryars accompanying him Rung another I suppose by way of Livery and Seizin they also burnt Incense and sprinkled Holy water and the next day being the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin they said several Masses in the Cathedral Church and the Bishop preached there and he was so vain and confident in his present Possession that he sent word to the Protestant Inhabitants That if they would continue his Tenants he would use them no worse than the former Bishop had done But that which the poor Bishop Tilson complained of in his Letter the 29th of December to the Lord Taaf is That none of the Conditions made with him and his Son were observed but that the Titular Bishop kept his Books and some of his Goods and turned out his Servant so that he was damnified to the value of Four hundred Pounds and it appears by another Letter of the Bishops that when the Titular Bishop was urged with the aforesaid Agreements and Articles He reply'd That that was past and out of date Upon complaint of these Matters to the Lord Lieutenant and that the Irish refused to permit the Clergy of the Diocess of Elphin to Levy any of their Dues alledging that the Bishop was outed by His Majesties Commission his Excellency did send positive Orders to restore the Bishop to the Castle of Elphin but in vain for the Lord President writes back That he had used his utmost indeavours with the Lord Taaf but could not prevail because of some Dangers he pretended from Sir Charles Coot and the Scots In the mean time the Titular Archbishop of Tuam was not idle but with Two thousand Foot and Three hundred Horse he surrounded and endeavoured to retake the Town of Sligo but there being about Two hundred Horse got into the Town under Captain Richard Coot and Captain Cole they Sallied out on the 17th of October and being well Seconded by Colonel Sanderson and a good Party of Foot they got a considerable Victory and by the help of Sir Francis Hamiltons Troop which came in the nick of time they did great Execution the Archbishop himself was slain and all the Baggage was taken
stupendious Revolution was That General Preston and his Army being mostly of the Pale and in whom English Blood and Honor should have had more prevalence than to suffer them to be guilty of so manifest and perfidious Violation of a Peace so lately made with their own King should be persuaded to joyn with Owen Roe and the Ulster Irish in so ill a Cause and even against his Interest and yet it is certain that they were tainted so early that tho' Owen Roe march'd through their Quarters to intercept Ormond yet none of them sent him the least notice and when the Marquis sent to Preston to come to him to consult about those Affairs Preston excused it with a Pretence of Sickness Nevertheless the Nuncio would not trust him until he had tied him by an Engagement to oblige his Honor and an Oath to bind his Conscience both which are recited Appendix 32. And upon the noise of Preston's Defection the Lord Lieutenant sent him an Expostulatory Letter to which he return'd the following Canting Answer May it please your Excellency IN Answer to Yours of the Eighth of this Instant I return That finding the Peace that was Concluded and Published destructive to my Religion and Liberty of the Nation to the Maintenance of which together with His Majesty's Just Prerogatives I had formerly sworn and associated my self I called together my Regiments and issued new Commissions for reinforcing of my Army my Intention being therein no other tha◠complying with my former Resolution and Engagement which I desire may be accorded with Assurance whereby we may be the better enabled to comply with His Majesty's Necessities in serving Him Which is the only Ambition of My Lord Your Lordships most humble Servant T. PRESTON Kilka 10 October 1646. But let us return to the Nuncio who by the Artifice and Industry of the Popish Clergy was become the Generalissimo of Two Armies which being united made up 16000 Foot and 1600 Horse with which he marched towards Dublin and was so confident to take it by a General Assault at his first Approach and express'd it with such Arguments of Probability that it was generally believ'd in his Camp so that Colonel Fitz-Williams pretending Kindness to Ormond did by his Letter of the 22th of September give him notice of the Danger and advis'd him to prevent it by confirming Glamorgan's Concessions and concludes That then Preston will live and die for His Majesty And to this Advertisement the Marquis on the 26th of September return'd the following Answer SIR IF I could have assured the Clergy my Lord of Glamorgan's Conditions I had not retired hither they are Things I have nothing to do with nor will have If they be valid in themselves they need no Corroboration if invalid I have no Power to give them Strength I cannot believe General Preston so regardless of his Honor as to appear in a way of Hostility before Dublin which were in the highest degree to violate the Loyalty he professeth the many Assurances given me by himself and in his behalf by others and above all the Honor of his Profession But if all that can be called Faith between King and Subject and betwixt Man and Man shall be so infamously laid aside together with all hope of Reconciliation Nature will teach us to make the best Resistance we can and God the sure Punisher of Treachery and Disloyalty at last will bless our Endeavors with Success or our Sufferings with Patience and Honor. Your Servant ORMOND But we must leave this mighty Army on their March and visit the Marquis of Ormond who was so enraged at this unexcusable Perfidy of the Confederates that he resolved to think no more of Treating with them but on the contrary prepared for the utmost Resistance And he was likewise very much confirmed in those Resolutions by the Opinion of the Lord Digby whom he had left Resident at Kilkenny and who in his Letter of the 24th of September hath this Passage My Lord there is no dealing with this People but by Force You see by the short Letter how they forge large Offers and improve others for their Ends. Hereupon Resolutions were unanimously taken in Council to Address to the Parliamet for Succors as shall be hereafter related at large in its proper place And the Lord Lieutenant and Council did write to the King ☞ That the Irish having perfidiously violated the Peace had begun a new War to wrest the Kingdom from His Majesty and transfer it to the King of Spain or the Pope to avoid which they were forced to apply themselves to the Parliament And the same day they wrote to the Lord Mayor and City of London for Assistance and assur'd them that the City Debts seiz'd in the beginning of the War were but borrow'd in extremity and that an exact Account are kept of them and they will be justly repaid by the King in due time And hereupon the Captain of the Parliaments Ship that carried the Commissioners over furnish'd the Lord Lieutenant with Thirty Barrels of Powder There was nothing more could be done for the Preservation of Dublin but to invite the Parliament Forces of Ulster to its Assistance which was not neglected and many of them were passionately inclin'd to the Service as knowing that the whole Kingdom would suffer very much in the Loss of that City But the Chief Commanders and the Parliament Commissioners would not consent unless Tredagh might be put into their Hands To which Ormond replied That he was in Treaty with the Parliament and therefore could not part with Tredagh till that were finished but desires them to reinforce his Garisons or divert the Common Enemy by taking the Field However the Irish were afraid of this Conjunction and therefore Owen Roe from Athy on the Ninth of October invited the Lord Lieutenant thither to treat with the Nuncio but Ormond knew there was no good Musick to be made upon that String and therefore the next day from Trim he return'd an Expostulation Why they were in Arms and desired them to restore Athlone and Athy To which Owen Roe replied the same day from Kilka That those Garisons are in surer Hands for the King now than they were in before whilst they were kept by Men inclined to the Parliament But tho this Irish General was so high being the Favorite of the Nuncio and his Party yet General Preston was not so but foreseeing the Fate and Scandal of the perfidious Breach of the Peace both he and his Army were somewhat cold in the Affair Besides this there was a National Emulation between the Two Armies O Neal's being Old Irish as the others was of the Old English and this was increas'd by the Insolence of the former and the Envy of the latter For Owen Roe and his Party who had been lately Victorious at Bemburb and had never submitted to the Peace because the Nuucio did reject it thought themselves justly entitled to the Reputation of
necessities of his Army forced him to withdraw thither where he stayed to expect his Lordships farther Commands And the same day Ormond replyed That he would certainly meet him at Castledermond that day sevenight with 600 Horse and 600 Musquetiers and that he will cause Commissions to be prepared with blanks for the Names of Preston's Officers to whom he will give proof of his full confidence in them and value of their Merit and loyal Affections and for Preston himself that he should have all the Power with the Lord Lieutenant that he could desire And thus Matters stood in a fair Correspondence between his Excellency and General Preston when on the 9th of December the Marquis of Ormond accompanied with the Marquis of Clanrickard marched out of Dublin with his small Party in the nature of Guards towards the place of Rendezvous and I doubt not but the Reader is full of Expectation to find General Preston there also but alas the Scene was changed and the Case was altered for the Council and Congregation at Kilkenny had on the 24th of November declared against this new Reconciliation as Appendix 35 and the Nuncio did so influence General Preston and his Officers by alledging That the former Treaty and Engagement were not binding being concluded without the Consent of a General Assembly which only had the Cognisance of Matters of so great Importance that he prevailed with them to Apostatize from their Solemn Engagement so lately entered into and to write this bald Excuse to the Marquis of Clanrickard That his Officers were not Excommunication-Proof And on the 15th of December the Council and Congregation of the Confederates not taking any notice of any Peace or Agreement that had intervened 1646. published the following Declaration By the Council and Congregation WHEREAS the Cessation of Arms between us and the adverse Party is long since determined and for that the Enemy in Dublin is now advanced into the Field committing daily acts of * * * Though really they committed none but paid for whatever they had Hostility We therefore Declare Order and Appoint That all Generals Captains and other Officers and Soldiers whatsoever of all and every the Armies of the Confederate Catholicks of Ireland and all and every Party and Parties of them either now together in Body or in their Winter Quarters shall and may KILL and Endamage the most they or any of them may of the Enemy aforesaid and against them or any of them use and exercise all manner of acts of Hostility But General Preston by his Letter of the 19th of December from Waterford endeavoured to excuse this Apostacy and laid the fault upon his Officers and yet on the 22th of the same Month he published a Declaration in Print against the lately renewed Peace ☞ to this effect That since the Engagement made by the Marquis of Clanrickard doth not yield sufficient Security for the Free Exercise of Religion c. as by the Congregations * * Appendix 35. Annotations thereon doth appear and since a Resolution was taken not to receive any of his Forces into the Garison of Dublin according to Agreement unless these Objections may be satisfied by the Enlargement of farther Grants that may satisfy the Council and Congregation he thinks himself obliged by the Oath of Association to obey the Council Congregation and General Assembly Whereupon the Lord Lieutenant by his Letter of the 5th of January acquaints him That however things have not sorted to his Expectation or to what he understood to be Preston's Obligation yet he was far from believing that Preston had any design so unbecoming a Man of Honour as to make use of the Credit given by Ormond to his Invitation to the Lord Lieutenants Prejudice or for the Improvement of Preston's Conditions with another Party which makes him confident that a Printed Paper Entituled Preston's Declaration c. and dated but three days after the former Letter of the 19th of December being so contrary to the Expressions therein must be a Forgery at also the Reports that some of Preston's Forces are gathering together at Castledermond to interrupt his Return or destroy the remainder of his Quarters yet he desires Satisfaction from Preston's own hand in those Particulars And accordingly General Preston did by his Letter of the 15th of January own his Declaration for which he writes he had good Reasons to be imparted at a more convenient time but disowned that he had any hand in disturbing his Excellency's Quarters or interrupting his Return But that the Reader may perceive that this Perfidiousness was not unexpected I must insert a short Passage in a Letter of the Lord Lieutenants to Colonel John Humilton dated at Lucan before he knew of Preston ' s Relapse and it was thus That I may leave no means unattempted to prevent the Ruin of His Majesty's Affairs whilst I have a hand in them I have undertaken an Expedition whereunto I was invited by a considerable Party of the Irish but I confess I go rather to leave them for ever unexcusable if they should fail me than that I have any assured Confidence of Performance such are the Impressions their former Failures have left in me But because it may be thought hard that the Confederates should be judged by the Sentiments of Protestants it is therefore necessary to shew what Opinion such of the Roman Catholicks as were loyal had of their Proceedings and the Reader may find it at large in the Marquis of Clanrickard's Letter Appendix 37. But Ormond either because he considered the Poverty of the City of Dublin or that being thus a second time deceived by the Confederates he was ashamed to return hither did march his small Army into Westmeath being the Enemies Quarters and there he kept a melancholy Christmas and though he used no Hostility but paid for every thing so that the Country seemed pleased with them yet the Captain and Lieutenant of his Excellency's Guards staâ—ing behind the rest were murdered upon the Highway by some of the Irish and on Christmas Day the Lord Lieutenant wrote to the Lord Digby then intended for France as followeth I Shall beseech you to be careful of one thing which is to take Order that the Commands that shall be directed to me touching this People if any be thwart not the Grounds I have laid to my self in point of Religion for in that and in that only I shall resort to the liberty left to a Subject to Obey by Suffering and particularly that there be no Concession to the Papists to perpetuate Churches or Church-livings to them or to take Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction from us And as for other Freedoms from Penalties for thâ— Quiet Exercise of their Religion I am clear of Opinion it not only may but ought to be given them if his Majesty shall find cause to own them for any thing but Rebels However whilst Ormond continued at Trim the Lord Muskry and some others that
between him and Owen Roe O Neal And that the innocent Blood which hath been shed in Ireland is so fresh in the Memory of this House that this House doth Detest and Abhor the thoughts of closing with any Party of Popish Rebels there who have had their hands in shedding that Blood Nevertheless the House being satisfied that what the said Collonel Monk did therein was in his apprehension necessary for the Preservation of the Parliament of England's Interest the House is content that the further consideration thereof as to him be laid aside and shall not at any time hereafter be called in question And so we are come to the fifth Army which was that of the Parliament's and tho' at this time it was but small and ill provided and had no other Towns in the Kingdom in their possession except Dublin and London Derry and even both these were besieg'd by considerable Armies yet within half a Year it became so powerful and victorious that it recovered the the best part of the Kingdom and at length reduced it all And even in this weak condition and before their Recruits came they did all that was possible for before the Royal Army came near Dublin Collonel Jones sent out a Party under Major Cadowgan to discover the Enemy and to slacken their march and he did excellent Service not only in destroying the Country about Tecroghan but in cutting off a great many of his Enemies and Jones himself marched out as far as the Naas on the 12th of June but having notice of the Approach of the Cavaliers he returned to his proper business of preserving the City which he performed exceeding well On the other side Ormond was endeavouring to straiten Dublin and the better to effect it the Lord Dillon of Costilogh was ordered to stay on the North side the City with 2000 Foot and 500 Horse and the Lord-Lieutenant with the rest of the Army marched over the River to Rathmines on the 25th of July and the very same day the Collonels Reynolds Venables and Hunks arrived with 600 Horse and 1500 Foot and other Supplies of Money and all other Necessaries into the City from England But these Succours did not so much contribute to the Preservation of Dublin as did a certain intelligence they brought with them that Cromwell and his Army intended to land in Munster Hereupon the Lord of Insiqum with a great Party of the best Horse was detach'd to defend that Province whereby the Army was weakned and exposed to the Misfortune it afterwards met with Nevertheless most of the General Officers being of Opinion that Baggotrath might be Fortified and made Tenable and being so would straiten the City so that their Horse could have no Forrage and consequently Dublin would in a little time be forced to surrender they prevailed with the Lord-Lieutenant to suspend his thoughts of retiring to Drumnagh and to give Orders for the Fortfying of Baggotrath Accordingly Major-General Purcell who had been the forwardest Man to this Advice had the charge of the Undertaking and the Army was kept all night in Batallia to countenance the Enterprize but when the Lord-Lieutenant who had been on Horseback all night came in the morning to view the Fortification he did not find it in that condition he expected Purcell excusing himself by the fault of his Guide Hereupon the care of that Affair was committed to another Officer who by nine a Clock had pretty well effected his Design and then no signs of any Sally appearing the Army which was all this while in Batallia was permitted to rest themselves and the Marquess retired to his Tent to the same purpose and so did most of the General Officers out of a vain Confidence that the Enemy would not Sally so late in the day But they found themselves grosly mistaken and were quickly alarum'd out of their Sleep for about ten a Clock on the 2d of August a party issued out of Dublin and meeting with better success than they could have the vanity to hope for they were seconded by most part of the Garrison by single Troops and Companies one after another and having slain or routed some few that opposed such a Pannick Fear seiz'd all the rest that a more easy or more compleat Victory could hardly be gain'd The Lord-Lieutenant in vain using his utmost endeavours to Rally the Horse whereupon a considerable part of the Foot finding themselves deserted by the Cavalry did in a Body surrender themselves And tho' the Lord Taaf escaped to the North side the River and importuned the Lord Dillon c. to attempt the recovery of the Field with those 2500 fresh Men yet so great was the Consternation that they could not be prevailed upon to try their Fortune nor hardly to provide for their own Safety without Confusion tho' at length they did observe the Lord-Lieutenant's Orders of going half to Tredagh and half to Trim to secure those Garrisons whilst his Excellency went to Kilkenny to Rally his shattered Troops In this Battle 4000 Men were killed and 2517 were taken Prisoners whereof several Officers of note and all the Artillery and two hundred draught Oxen and indeed all the Baggage of an exceeding rich Camp became the Reward and Prize of the Conqueror This is that fatal Defeat at Rathmines which the Irish say was so improvident and unfortunate that nothing has hapned in Christianity more shameful They did all that Malice could suggest to place the fault of this Misfortune on the Lord-Lieutenant but without any manner of reason for besides the assurance we have from Peter Walsh P. W. Remonstrance 583-609 that Edmond Reyly Titular Archbishop of Armagh did betray this Army and that the Nuntio Party at Rome rejoyced exceedingly at this Defeat This one observation will determine where the Fault lay viz. That Ormond was always victorious at the head of an English Army and the Irish were always worsted whoever was their General except only at the Battle of Bemburb But to proceed on the 3d of August Ormond stop at Balisanon and having found means to make the Garrison believe that Dublin was taken that strong Castle was presently surrendered and thereby General Jones was stop from prosecuting his Victory which else he would have done even to the Walls of Kilkenny Nevertheless that great Captain resolved to push on his Fortune and whilst the Consternation lasted to make the best use of it he could and accordingly he immediately advanced to Tredagh but the Lord Moor valiantly defended the place and Ormond came to Trim with what Forces he could rally so that Jones was obliged to raise the Siege on the 8th of August which was the very day Owen Roe forced the Lord of Ards to draw off from London-Derry But on the 14th of August Oliver Cromwell the Parliament's Lord-Lieutenant landed at Dublin he brought with him about 9000 Foot and 4000 Horse and all Necessaries for his Army and had a good Fleet constantly to attend
angry at the Sitting of the Parliament and the Courts of Justice and have overturn'd all Laws and plucked them up by the Roots should yet keep such a stir about Fundamental Laws or that they should think themselves genuine Members of Parliament which is a Court of Peace and Order who have rent asunder all Bonds of Peace Order and Humane Society can they imagine that because they will Rebel we must have no Courts of Justice will nothing satisfy them but an universal concurrence in Confusion and is it because they are guilty of so many crimes themselves that they take liberty to speak evil of all others If this be the Liberty they Fight for certainly they espouse a very bad cause however it is better than Liberty of extirpating the Protestants which is what they really aimed at But they have no reason to complain of the Protestant Members of Parliaments either of his Majesties or his Fathers time they have Repealed many Acts that were prejudicial to the Natives but never made any that were so Are not the Persons they complain to have been Indicted in the King's Bench guilty of the Crimes they are accused of Have not those Soldiers that were Jurors Free-hold in the proper Counties and are they not capable to be Jurors according to Law These Remonstrants cannot deny these things and that their Rebellion forced these Gentlemen to be Soldiers and yet they complain as if it were unjust and a grievance But the allegation that any body under Protection or the Publick Faith was tryed for his Life is not true nor can they instance one and their Protestation against the Proceedings of Parliament is frivilous and vain And their desire to have a New which they call a Free Parliament whereunto they may be chose hath infinite inconveniences in it for then these Criminals will be acquitted and manage the most weighty affairs and either exclude or outvote the Loyal Protestant Subjects which have stuck by the Crown in this time of danger But the truth is that the Rebels have Murdered and Banished so many of the Protestant Free-holders and Inhabitants of Corporations that there can be very few if any Protestants in a new Parliament at this time whereby it would happen that what Protestants are left undevoured by the Sword ☜ should be destroyed by colour of Justice pursuant to their Oath of Confederacy And as to the place Dublin wants no other convenience but that of giving opportunity to Awe or Surprize the Chief Governour and the Members of Parliament and as to the Person that Nation doth not yield a Person of more honour and fortune than the present Lord Lieutenant the Marquess of Ormond And as to Poynings Act the Repeal or Suspension of it is desired to deprive the King of the Advice of his Privy Councils of England and Ireland and if it were done perhaps they would without his Majesties Knowledge transfer the Spiritual half of his Sovereignty to the Pope and attaint his Protestant Subjects and establish their Supream Council and alter the very form of Government but to be sure they would acquit themselves and deprive his Majesty of all the Forfeitures belonging to him by their attainders and therefore it is unfit at this time by suspending that Act to make such criminous Parties their own Judges Lastly These Remonstrants who so loudly clamour against others have nevertheless violated their own Publick Faith ☜ in breach of their Articles of the Cessation by taking and detaining several Places and Estates they were to restore by that agreement and by not paying any part of 30800 l. payable by those Articles at the time stipulated and in not paying above half of it yet to the Ruine of the Army that wanted it and depended upon it Appendix VII The Substance of the Lord Macguires Examination HE Saith Burlace Appendix 2 this Examination at large That the Inhabitants of Lainster were first engaged in the Rebellion and that Mr. Roger Moor first moved it to him that the design was to maintain their Religion and recover their Estates that the Lord of Mayo was in the First Conspiracy that they sent to consult the Irish in Spain and Flanders and received assurance of their assistance that the Earl of Tyrone sent them a Message that Cardinal Richlieu had promised him Aid and they sent him word that they would rise Twelve or Fourteen days before Alhollontide that the Gentry of the Pale were very loath that any of the Irish Army should be sent to Spain and opposed what they could in both Houses and had several consultations about that and to prepare for an Insurrection and that Colonel Plunket and the rest that were to carry Four Thousand Men to Spain proposed to Seize the Castle of Dublin with those Men and consulted with the Lord Macguire about it That the Lord Gormanstown was acquainted with the Plot and consented to it that the 5 th of October was the First day appointed and because all were not then ready it was changed to the 23 d. That Owen Roe had his Agent Captain Brian O Neal to promote the Conspiracy that they were all to rise on the same day that Mr. Moor and the Lord Macguire and the Colonels Plunket and Birne were with Two Hundred Men to Seize the Castle of Dublin and Sir Philem O Neale was to Surprize Londonderry and Sir Henry O Neale was to do the like to Carigfergus and Sir Con mac genis was to Seize the Newry and all were to carry it fair to the Scots till the business should be secure That Captain Con O Neal came to Dublin with fresh assurance of assistance from Owen Roe and Cardinal Richlieu and that but Eighty of the Two Hundred were come to Dublin the 22 th and therefore they intended to defer their Attempt until the Afternoon of the next day Appendix VIII The Lord of Gormanstown's Commission By the Lords Justices and Council William Parsons John Borlase Right trusty and well-beloved We greet you well WHereas divers most disloyal and malignant Persons within this Kingdom have tratierously conspired against His Majesty his Peace Crown and Dignity and many of them in execution of their Conspiracy are traiterously assembled together In a Warlike manner and have most inhumanly made Destruction and Devastation of the Persons and Estates of divers of His Majesties good and loyal Subjects of this Kingdom and taken slain and imprisoned great Numbers of them We out of our Care and Zeal for the common good being desirous by all means to suppress the said Treasons and Traitors and to conserve the Persons and Fortunes of His Majesties loving Subjects here in Safety and to prevent the further Spoil and Devastation of His Majesties good People here do therefore hereby require and authorize you to Levy Raise and Assemble all every and any the Forces as well Footmen as Horsemen within the County of Meath giving you hereby the Command in chief of all the
Favours he shall be graciously pleased to confer upon his faithful Catholick Subjects in this Kingdom according to their Obedience and Merit in his Service And we do further protest that we shall never esteem our selves disobliged from this Engagement by any Authority or Power whatsoever provided on both parties that this Engagement and Undertaking be not understood or extend to debar or hinder His Majesties Catholick Subjects of this Kingdom from the benefit of any further Graces and Favours which His Majesty may be graciously pleased to concede to them upon the Queens Majesties Mediation or any other Treaties abroad Appen XXXV The Declaration against the renewed Peace Anno 1646. By the Council and Congregation Kilkenny the 24th of November 1646. WE taking into consideration an Instrument intituled the Marquess of Clanrickard his Engagement of the Nineteenth of November 1646. Do first observe that his Lordship is qualified with no known Authority that might enable him to make good the undertaking therein expressed if they did contain advantagious Concessions as they do not and then let any Man judge that looks with an indifferent Eye whether the Peace of a Kingdom to follow thereupon be grounded on sufficient Foundation The next to be considered is the first Article where it is exprest that there shall be a Revocation of all the Laws in force in this Kingdom in as much as shall concern any Penalty Inhibition or Restraint upon Catholicks for the free Exercise of their Religion These words seem plausible but he that will look into the Statute of the Second of Elizabeth in the First Second Third and Fourth Chapters and other the Statutes of Force within this Kingdom will find that no Bishop can be made or consecrated or do the Office of a Bishop in conferring orders of Priesthood or granting Dispensations or Faculties or any Priest exercise his Function after the Rights of the Roman-Catholick Church by Authority of the See of Rome but that by express words of the said Statute of the Second of Elizabeth in one of the said Chapters the First offence of that nature is under pain of praemunire which extends to imprisonment during life and the Forfeiture of Goods and Lands the Second offence is Felony and the Third offence against that Law is High Treason in the Principals Abetters Relievers and Maintainers c. And the words of the said First Article do extend only to the revocation of the Penalties against the Exercise of Religion which will not take away the Branches of those Laws that are against the Exercise of Spiritual Jurisdictions or Functions so as all our Prelates and Priests are left subject to the former dangers which doubtless the Confederate Catholicks did intend to free them from upon the taking of their Oath of Association By one of the Chapters of that Statute of the Second of Elizabeth Catholick Service or Mass is excluded out of the Churches and the Common-Prayer Book which the Protestants used introduced and clearly for any thing mentioned in the said First Article no Mass can be said in any Church without incurring the Penalty ordained by that Law and those that are verâ—ed in the late Treaty with the Lord Lieutenant do well know and all others that saw an Instrument sent by the Lord Lieutenant in a Letter of the Seventh of August 1644 importing a Brief of Collections whereby the Singing Saying and Hearing of Mass was granted may observe that notwithstanding that Concession the Lord Lieutenant did add a Proviso that no Mass should be Said or Sung in Churches Cathedral or Parochial or Chappel thereunto belonging by means whereof and of an express denial to grant the Catholicks liberty to have a Catholick Bishop by any authority from the See of Rome and for want of other Concessions in matters of Religion without Provisoes or Clogs that would spoil them matters of Religion were referred by the late Articles to further or other Concessions And as we are taught by the Tenents of Catholick Doctrin that there can be no Catholick Religion nor essential parts thereof without Bishops who in matters of Religion depend and ought to depend of the See Apostolick and without Priests made by such Bishops or the Pope himself nor the Sacraments administred without such Prelates and Pastors therefore the Exercise of Religion as to those and several other particulars essential ought to made certain or else that the said Statutes of the Second of Elizabeth and the Statutes of Faculties in the Twenty Eighth of Henry the Eighth be totally Repealed as to his Majesties Roman-Catholick Subjects and a provision made by Act of Parliament for Roman-Catholick Bishops and Pastors to be and remain in this Kingdom with impunity Upon consideration of the Second Article where it is expressed that they shall not be disturbed in the enjoyment of their Churches or any other Ecclesiastical Possessions which were in their Hands at the publication of the late Peace until that matter with others referred already receive a settlement upon a Declaration of his Majesties gracious intentions in a free Parliament held in this Kingdom his Majesty being in a free condition himself It is apparent by this Second Article besides what is said before that the First Article concerning the Revocation of the Penal Laws is not intended by the undertaking of that engagement to extend to the taking away of the Penal Laws that prohibit Mass to be said in Churches and seemeth as to the Churches to put us by our own assent to this Proposition in worse condition than we were by the late rejected Peace for then and still we have the resolution of the General Assembly expressed in an order to hold our Churches always and not to part with them And now if this Second Article were agreed on we express only a promissive enjoying of them until Parliament and so are left as to that in a worse condition than before and even until Parliament it self there is no security at all for Churches or Church Livings within our Quarters other than the undertaking of the said Lord Marquess of Clanrickard who is subject to Mortality and Changes as other Mortal Men and who was never yet of our Vnion and admit this were an assurance till Parliament the same will fall on the Kings Declaration to the contrary if in a free condition which Declaration to be contrary may probably be expected so long as his Majesty is of a different Religion and before that Parliament be all Persons engaged or to be engaged are subject to Mortality Upon all which we see no security at all for Churches or Church-Livings As to the Third it containeth no concession and is but an engagement of the said Lord Marquess his Word which is uncertain and unsafe to rely on without mentioning what Garrisons and what Catholicks in them and what number and by whom they are to be commanded in regard the Commander in chief may by his Order remove or alter them as he sees cause
Lord of Antrim might pass freely earnestly desiring him to undertake the Work but he the Lord of Antrim refused saying He would not go if Ormond would not go also yet was the Lord of Antrim by the pressing Solicitation of Colonel Barry aforesaid perswaded to send some one from himself to the King for intimating what was resolved for his Service and signifying the already disbanding those 8000 Men raised in Ireland by the Earl of Strafford This Dispatch was sent by Captain Digby Constable of the Castle of Dunluce in the North of Ireland belonging to the Lord of Antrim with those Dispatches the said Digby did overtake the King at York he being then on his way to Scotland and from York was Digby returned back to him the Lord of Antrim by the King signifying his Pleasure That all possible Endeavours should be used for getting again together those 8000 Men so disbanded and that an Army should immediately be raised in Ireland that should declare for him against the Parliament of England and to do what was therein necessary and convenient for his Service Upon receiving this the King's Pleasure by Captain Digby he the Lord of Antrim imparted the Design to the Lord of Gormonstown and to the Lord of Slane and after to many others in Lienster and after going into Vlster he communicated the same to many there but the Fools such was his Lordship's Expression to us well liking the Business would not expect our time or manner for ordering the Work but fell upon it without us and sooner and otherwise than we should have done taking to themselves and in their own way the managing of the Work and so spoiled it It being by us demanded of his Lordship how he intended it should be managed He answered That the Castle of Dublin being then to be surprized if the Lords Justices should oppose the Design the Parliament then sitting should declare for the King against the Parliament of England and that the whole Kingdom should be raised for the King's Service and that if the Lords Justices would not join in the Work they should be secured and all others who would or might oppose them should be also secured Which Discourse was freely made by his Lordship without any Caution given us therein of Secrecy yet was it demanded by us Whether his Lordship would give us leave to have the same signified to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and to the Lord President of Munster His Lordship answered That he gave us free liberty so to do which his Lordship's Discourse we have for our better Remembrance reduced to Writing and testified the same under our Hands to be as aforesaid Signed Henry Clogher Henry Owen Having seen and read this Paper containing the Particulars of a Conference between Me and the Lord of Clogher and Colonel Reynolds and between me and the said Lord of Clogher and Mr. Henry Owen I do hereby acknowledg it to be the same in Substance with what passed excepting where it is said that Captain Digby was by the late King returned with a Dispatch to Me whereas the Dispatch was sent to me from the King by one William Hamerstone and whereas it is said that the said late King appointed that the Army with us to be continued and raised in Ireland should be employed against the Parliament it is to be intended if occasion should be for so doing And I do hereby aver the Truth of all so delivered with the other Corrections and Qualifications thereunto added Witness my Hand this August the 22d 1650. ANTRIM Observations on the Marquess of Antrim's Information FIrst it expresly clears the King from giving any Commission for the Irish Rebellion nor is there any thing in it that can charge his Majesty with the least Thought or Intention that his Protestant Subjects in Ireland should be either plundered or murdered nevertheless when an unthinking Reader finds that the Castle of Dublin was to be surpriz'd he runs away with the Notion that the Irish Conspiracy was pursuant to that Order and the King was in the bottom of that barbarous Rebellion and this perhaps was one design of this Information but the chief end of it was to abuse the World with a Belief that the King was not necessitated to a War with the Parliament by any thing then newly happened in 1642. but that he had projected it long before and had made this Preparation to put it in Execution Secondly This Information cannot be true but either Antrim deceived the World or Burk imposed upon him for besides that Ormond and Antrim was unfit to be joyned in a Commission as well because there were never any good Understanding between them as also because they were of different Religions and Interests how much more obvious and easy less scandalous and more effectual would it have been for the King to have made Ormond Lord-Deputy than to order him to surprize the Castle and the Lords Justices Moreover these 12000 additional Men could not have been raised without Noise and Time nor kept without Money nor Armed at all for there were not 12000 Arms in the Store 23 Octob. and yet 8000 of them were the Arms of the disbanded Men which they were to keep on Foot But it is yet more strange that before any Breach with the Parliament and whilst Matters tended to an Accommodation more hopefully than in some Months before the King should by such a rash and imprudent Action administer such cause of Jealousy to the Parliament at so unseasonable a time whilst he was absent in Scotland as would certainly put the Kingdom of England in a Flame and lose his Majesty the Hearts and Hands of more English Cavaliers than he could gain of Irish-Men But to put this matter out of doubt the King long before he went to York which was in the middle of August knew the Irish Army would be disbanded and therefore consented to license four Regiments to be levied out of them for the Service of the King of Spain as appears by the following Letter copied from the Original ORMOND I Have taken this Occasion by the recommending the Son of one of my faithful Servants to assure you that I very much esteem You and that I do but seek an Occasion to shew it you by more than Words as I commanded the Vice-Treasurer to tell you more fully and in particular concerning the blew Riband of which you may be confident only I desire you not to take notice of it until I shall think it fit The Particular for this Bearer George Porter is to permit him to make up a Regiment of the disbanded Army if he can do it by Perswasion to carry them out of the Country for the King of Spain's Service this is all So I rest Whitehall the 19th of June 1641. Your assured Friend CHARLES R. Moreover how much the King was surprized with the Irish Rebellion will also appear in his Letter to the Marquess of Ormond whom
Courts of Exchequer and Commonpleas be removeable at the Discretion of the chief Governour on twenty eight Days notice V. That the Earls of Desmond and Kildare and Edward Plunket Esq as well for Alliances Fosterage and Alterage with the King's Irish Enemies as in furnishing them with Horse and Arms and supporting them against the King's Subjects which is notoriously known to be against the Kings Laws and the laudable Statutes of the Land Lib. D. be attainted of Treason and that whoever hath any of their Goods or Lands and doth not discover it to the Deputy within fourteen Days shall be attainted of Felony By vertue of this Act of Parliament Davis 186. the great Earl of Desmond was beheaded at Drogheda the fifteenth of February 1467. Report makes his Crime to be That of extorting Coyn and Livery And the Irish say it was for an affront he put upon the Queen for being of a noble Race and a generous or rather proud Spirit he despised the King's Marriage with so mean a Subject as the Lady Elizabeth Grey and often said She was a Taylors Widow Perhaps he had more reason than any Man to speak bitterly against such Matches because he had no other Title to the Earldom of Desmond than by the Marriage of his Nephew Thomas the fifth Earl of Desmond to Katherin ni William mac Cormock one of his Vassals for which that Earl was so persecuted by his Relations that he was forced to resign his Earldom to this his Unkle who is commonly called by the Irish Thomas of Drogheda And it would be a very hard case that the Nephew should be so abused for an Act which the King had justified by following the Example and therefore the Unkle exclaimed against that Action as a thing too base to be imitated or excus'd There is also another Vulgar Tradition about this matter which seems very unlikely Lib. P. if not impossible and that is That the Queen should steal the Privy Signet and put it to an Order for his Execution But it is well worth our Observation Davis 185. That as the Earls of Desmond were the first Introducers of Coyn and Livery among the English and the first that broached the distinction between English of Birth and English of Blood and the first Peers that refused to come to Parliament upon Summons so they were the only Peers that ever were executed in Ireland and the only Noble English Family that was by the Hand of Justice extinguished there so that this degenerate Family which of all others was most injurious and ungrateful to the English Government did suffer more by the same Government than any other Family in that Kingdom and those Exactions of Coyn and Livery which were the Foundations of their Grandure did at last prove the cause or occasion of their Ruine in the person of Gerald the fifteenth Earl of Desmond On the twenty sixth of February Edmond Lord Dunboyn Lib. G. for taking Con O Connor Prisoner and delivering him to the Lord Deputy and for other Services he had done the State obtained a Patent for ten Pound per annum payable out of the Fee farm Rents of Waterford forfeited by the Attainder of James Earl of Ormond and also the Prisage of Limerick Cork Ross Galway Youghal Kingsale Dungarvan and Dingle and the Lands of Castle-Richard in Meath habendum during his Life It is plain by many Circumstances and particularly that of his short stay in Ireland that this Lord Deputy came over meerly to serve a turn for as soon as the Earl of Desmond was executed the Earl of Kildare was not only pardoned but also the Lord Deputy hastned to England and left Thomas Earl of Kildare 1467. Lord Justice and afterward Lord Deputy to the Duke of Clarence Selden 841. In whose time John Bold was made Baron of Ratooth This Lord Justice held a Parliament at Drogheda which enacted I. That whereas it was doubted October 1468. whether the Act of 6 Rich. 2. That Women consenting to Ravishers should forfeit their Inheritance were of Force in Ireland it is now put out of Doubt and that and all other English Statutes made before that time are confirmed here II. Against Regrators and Ingrossers He also held another Parliament at the Naas Friday after S. Andrew's Day 1472. which was adjourned to Dublin to the Friday after S. Gregory's Day and enacted I. That Staple Wares be not transported to Scotland without payment of the Custom called the Coquet upon Pain of Forfeiture of the same II. That every Merchant shall bring twenty Shillings worth of Bows and Arrows into Ireland Repeal 10 Car. 1. ch 22. for every twenty Pounds worth of other Goods he imports from England III. That no Grain be transported out of Ireland if the Market Price exceed ten Pence a Peck on pain of forfeiting Ship and Goods But it was all repealed by the Parliament Lib. G. 18 Edw. 4. Nevertheless there was an Act of Parliament this Year of 12 Edw. 4. to this effect That there should be a Fraternity of Arms of the number of thirteen Persons Ex offic magistr Rot. in Castr Dublin Davis 55. of the most Honourable and faithfully disposed in the Counties of Kildare Dublin Meath and Louth viz. three out of each County and four from Meath that is to say Thomas Earl of Kildare Rowland Eustace Lord of Portlester Sir Rowland Eustace Knight for the County of Kildare Robert Lord of Hoath the Mayor of Dublin for the time being and Sir Robert Dowdal Knight for the County of Dublin the Lord Gormanstown Edward Plunket Seneschal of Meath Alexander Plunket Esq and Barnaby Barnewal Esq for the County of Meath and the Mayor of Drogheda Sir Lawrence Taaf Knight and Richard Bellew Esq for the County of Louth And that they and their Successors should yearly assemble at Dublin on S. George's Day and there chuse one of them to be Captain for the next year the which Captain and Brethren shall be created a Society by the Name of the Captain and Brethren at Arms the Captain shall have an hundred and twenty Archers on Horseback at six pence a Day for Meat Drink and Wages and forty Horsemen and forty Pages at five pence a day for him and his Page and four Marks per annum Wages the Captain and Brethren and their Successors to support this Charge shall have twelve pence per Pound out of all Merchandize sold in Ireland whether it be imported or exported except Hides and the Goods of the Free-men of Drogheda and Dublin and the Mayors of Dublin and Drogheda to be the Receivers of the foresaid Poundage the Fraternity shall have Power to make Laws for the good Governance of the Society and to elect a new Brother in the place of any deceasing and the Captain shall have Authority to apprehend all Out-law'd Rebels and others that will not be justified by Law And this was the Original of the
BROTHERHOOD of St. George But to proceed William Sherwood 1475. Bishop of Meath was Lord Deputy to the Duke of Clarence he held a Parliament at Dublin Friday after the Feast of St. Margaret which makes it Treason to bring Bulls or Apostiles from Rome and orders the Lords of Parliament to wear Robes on pain of one hundred Shillings and enjoyns the Barons of the Exchequer to wear their Habits in Term-time and Enacts That if any Englishman be damnified by an Irishman not amesnable to Law he may reprize himself upon the whole Sept or Nation And that it shall be Felony to take a Distress contrary to Common Law which was a very necessary Act in those Times and is the only Act of this Parliament that is printed and though it be an English Case yet it may be useful in other Countries and therefore we will mention That George Nevil Duke of Bedford was this Year degraded 4th Instit. 355. because he had not any Estate left to support the Dignity Henry 1478. Lord Grey of Ruthen Lord Deputy held a Parliament a Drogheda which repeal'd all the Acts of the aforesaid Parliament of 12 Edw. 4. and then he resigned to Sir Robert Preston Lib. G. Lord Deputy who on the 7th of August was created Viscount Gormanston but he held the Government but a little time before he surrendred to Girald Earl of Kildare Lord Deputy he held a Parliament at Naas Friday after the Feast of St. Petronilla which Enacted 1478. 1. That Distresses taken for Rent might be sold And 2. That Non-Residents might be chosen Parliament-men 1480. but on the twelfth of August the Earl of Kildare was made Deputy to the Kings Son Richard Duke of York for four years from the fifth of May following Lib. M. by the Dukes Patent under the Kings Privy Seal quod nota and the Earl by Indenture with the King did Covenant to keep the Realm surely and safely to his power and was to have eighty Archers on Horse-back and forty other Horsemen called Spears and six hundred pound per annum to maintain them and if the Irish Revenue cannot pay it it shall be sent out of England This Lord Deputy held another Parliament on Monday after the Translation of St. Thomas at which it was Ordained 1. That no Hawks should be carried out of the Kingdom without great Custom And 2. That the Pale should have no correspondence with the Irish and it seems this Parliament Naturaliz'd Con O Neal Davis 93â— who had married the Lord Deputy's Daughter What the incomparable Spencer in his View of Ireland relates of the Duke of Clarence and Moroughen Ranagh O Brian is not to be placed in the Reign of Edward the Fourth because George Duke of Clarence was never actually in Ireland whilst he was Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom but always managed that Province by Deputies and therefore I suppose that what Spencer has related will better suit with the Government of Lionel Duke of Clarence in the Reign of Edward the Third who did indeed marry the Heiress of Vlster and performed the other Atchievements Mr. Spencer writes of It was in this Kings Reign that the Jubile which before was every Fiftieth Year was by Pope Sixtus the Fourth brought to be every five and twentieth year and that the Primacy of Scotland was setled upon the Archbishop of St. Andrews And thus stood the Government of Ireland during the Reign of King Edward the Fourth who between the French King the troublesome Earl of Warwick the discontented Lords and the Attempts of the Wife and Friends of Henry the Sixth found so much work at home that Ireland was in a manner neglected and left to the Protection of the Fraternity of St. George when on the ninth Day of April 1483 the King died in the two and fortieth Year of his Age and of his Reign the three and twentieth THE REIGN OF RICHARD III. King of England c. And LORD of IRELAND UPon the Death of King Edward his Son the Prince of Wales being then at Ludlow was Proclaimed King by the Name of Edward the Fifth and in his way to London was perswaded by the means of his Unkle the Duke of Glocester to dismiss great part of his Guards as well to save the Charge as to avoid giving Cause of Suspicion and Reasons of Jealousie to such as doubted that so numerous an Attendance was entertain'd upon Designs prejudicial to them And so having luckily mounted this first step to the Throne the Duke of Glocester proceeded to confederate with the Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Hastings and by their assistance he first seized on the Earl Rivers and others of the Kings Relations and Friends and then got the King himself into his power and brought him to London using a thousand Artifices to make the People believe that the Queen-Mothers Kindred designed the extirpation of the Ancient Nobility the Slavery of the People and the Ruine of the Kingdom This Duke of Glocester wheedled or bribed to that degree that he was chosen Protector by the unanimous Consent of the Council and afterwards got the Kings Brother out of Sanctuary at Westminster and under specious Pretences of their Security both the Princes were conveyed to the Tower of London in a most pompous and splendid manner and there they were afterwards murdered by the Appointment if not by the Hands of their Unkle King Richard took upon him the Regal Office on the 18th day of June 1483. and before the Murder of his Nephews and he was Crowned together with his Queen on the 6th day of July 1483. and being very busie in England to establish the Crown he had usurped he did not think it advisable to make any Alterations in Ireland but continued in that Government Gerald Earl of Kildare Lord Deputy to Edward the Kings Son who held a Parliament at Dublin wherein it was Enacted That the Mayor and Bayliffs of Waterford might go in Pilgrimage to St. James of Compostella in Spain leaving sufficient Deputies to govern that City in their absence 2. That the Corporation of Ross might reprize themselves against Robbers and that no Persons should alien their Free-hold in Ross to a Foreigner without the Licence of the Portriff and Council of that Town but these being private Acts are not Printed It seems that the next Year the Earl of Kildare as Deputy to the Earl of Lincoln 1484. Lord Lieutenant did hold another Parliament at Dublin wherein six private Acts only were made and not long after conven'd another Parliament at Trim which either did nothing at all or nothing worth mentioning but a subsequent Parliament at Dublin gave a Subsidy of Thirteen shillings and four pence out of every Plow-Land to the Deputy towards his Charges in the Service he did against the Irish wherein O Connor it seems was a Partner or Co-adjutor for he also had ten Groats out of every Plow-Land in Meath for
per annum and to find 200 Foot and 40 Horse armed at all Hostings in Twomond and 15 Horse and 50 Foot at all General Hostings with Carriages and Victuals and that all Irish Titles and Tenures should be abolish'd Mac William Eighter's Countrey was divided into five Proprieties and a certain Rent and Tenure was established between Lord and Tenant and the Province formerly divided into the six Counties of Clare Galway Sligo Mayo Leitrim and Roscomon had Sheriffs and other proper Officers settled in it for which the Lords and Gentlemen of Connaugh sent a Letter of Thanks to the Lord Deputy acknowledging the Quiet and Advantage they enjoyed by means of the foresaid Composition One Dennis O Raughan a Priest and Henry Bird Register to the high Commission Court contrived arrogant Warrants in the Deputy's Name importing a General Pardon to all Priests for all Offences in such a style as if the Deputy had been King of Ireland and though Bird afterwards confessed that he wrote the Warrants which were found in Raughan's Pocket yet was this wicked Priest one of the fatal Witnesses against the Deputy whereof he repented on his Death-bed Nay so unfortunate was this brave man that even his own Secretary John Williams betrayed him and discovered his Secrets but the Queen abhorr'd the Practice so that it rather served to discover his Adversaries malice than to doe him any harm But nothing is more remarkable than that Hugh Baron of of Dungannon who even since the beginning of Desmonds Rebellion had a Pension of 100 Marks per annum and a Troup of Horse in the Queens pay went to England and advised the Queen to suppress the Name and Authority of O Neal nor was the depth of his Hypocrisie discovered untill this very ungreatefull Rebel though the Son of a known Bastard did afterwards assume the Name of O Neal and therewith he was so elevated that he would often boast that he would rather be O Neal of Vlster than King of Spain But the Queen who thought him sincere and loyal did not only create him Earl of Tyrone but also granted him the whole County of Tyrone discharg'd of the chief Rent he had formerly promised to the Deputy on condition nevertheless that he should disclaim any right or superiority over the rest of Vlster and should provide for Turlogh and the Sons of Shan O Neale Morison 8. and a place for a Garison or two was also reserv'd and by the reputation of this Patent Cambden 122. and the Queens Favour the old Turlogh Lynogh was necessitated to quit Tyrone to this fortunate Spark But Secretary Fenton who was one of the best Servitors the Queen had in Ireland and much confided in by her Majesty or as others word it was a Moth in the Garments of all the Deputies of his time was frequently as at this time sent for into England to inform the Queen of the true state of that Kingdom What discovery he made of the miscarriages of the Government I do not find but they may be easily traced from the instructions he carried back which bore date in December 1585. and were to this effect That the Lord Deputy and the late Justices and Officers of the Exchequer should answer 1. What became of the Fines Recognizances Forfeitures Wards Marriages and Reliefs belonging to her Majesty and of what value they were since March 1579 and by whose Warrants were they respectively given pardoned or disposed of 2. What Leases have been made of the Crown Lands in that time with or without Fine and what Fine what Rent 3. What Debts were due to the Queen at Michaelmas 1579. or since and by whose fault they remain unlevied 4. That the faulty Officers may be suspended and the rrecoverable Debts immediately levied and a List of the desperate Debts returned 5. What Debts have been remitted on account of the Land being wasted and what Proof there was of such waste 6. What Profits and Casualties have been answered on Sheriffs Accounts since Michaelmas 1579. and what Summes have been by Warrants call'd Mandamus divided amongst the Barons and Officers of the Exchequer 7. What Fines Amerciaments Recognizances or Forfeitures have any Corporations taken to their own use in that time on pretence of their Charters and what right have they thereunto because without express words in the Charter those Recognizances and Profits do not pass nor can they have the Fines of any Offence made so by Parliament since their Charter 8. What new Offices or increase of Fees and by whose Warrant and that they be suspended till farther Order 9. What Allowance for Diet or Attendence hath been given to Commissioners for taking Accompts 10. Whether some Irish men did not surrender the Queens Land with their own and had a Re-grant of both and on what reservation how many such Grants have not been certified into the Exchequer not put in charge and what rents are due upon Grants 11. What part of the 1000 l. per an payable by composition for discharge of the Bonnaugh the Gallowglasses were to have on the Country is in Arrears and whether there be not a new charge of 2 or 300 l. per annum to the Captains of the Gallow-glasses and what service have they done for it 12. What Seneschalships Captainries or Governments of Countreys have been granted without the usual reservations and what were the ancient reservations and to grant no more without Order 13. Why the extraordinary Garisons put in time of Rebellion into Castles c. are continued and to what number and to discharge as many as can be reasonably spared 14. What Officers are paid with Sterling instead of Irish Money and to what loss to the Queen and by whose Warrant 15. What forfeited Lands or Chattels in Munster have been granted or let and by whose Warrants what profits are paid or due for the same and that no more be disposed of till her Majesties farther Order 16. What Money hath been paid for keeping Boats on the Shenin and out of what Fund and when did that charge cease Besides these he had other Instructions to communicate to the Deputy 15 Feb. 1585. viz. 1. That since the Kingdom was in peace some of the Army being 1900 strong might be discharged 2. That the Deputy should certifie whether it were better to give the Soldiers Sterling Pay and no Victuals in which case he is to take nothing from the Countrey without payment at such reasonable rate as the as the Government shall assess or to continue Victuals and the old Irish Pay for the Queen will no longer allow both Victuals and the encreased Pay 3. That the Contribution of 2100 li. per annum in lieu of Cess Purveyance c. be revived and accordingly on the 15th of May 1586. this was done by the consent of the Countrey who agreed also to pay all the arrearages of that composition 4. That Captain Thomas Norris be made Vice-president of Munster with all the
usual allowance except the Sallary of 200 Marks per ann which must be reserved for his Brother the Lord President and that the Vice-president's Pension of twenty shillings a day be immediately stopp'd Lib. C. 5. That the Queens Orders be publickly read in Council except they require secrecy and then to be communicated to such of the English Council only as are ordinarily attending on the State 6. That all Offices be given to fit persons who are personally to officiciate except in special cases 7. That the Courts be removed out of the Castle 8. That the Secretary of State keep the Signet as in England and that he make all Bills Warrants and Writings that require Signature and that he keep a Register thereof and have his Fees for the same 9. That the Parliament being ended Vlster might be so settled that the Deputy might repair into Munster to watch the Motions of Spain 10. That suspected persons be secured and that the suspected Inhabitants in Towns be disarm'd and that the Loyal Townsmen be arm'd and disciplin'd and that those that were lately Rebels be enjoyned to keep at home and if the Spaniards land that the Forage be destroy'd and the Cattel removed up into the Countrey The Queen also gave Secretary Fenton particular Instructions about the Plantation of Munster and devised a Plot to this effect Lib. C. That the Undertaker for 12000 Acres should plant 86 Families upon it viz. his own Family should have 1600 Acres one chief Farmer 400 two good Farmers 600 between them other two Farmers 200 apiece fourteen Free-holders each 300 fourty Copyholders each 100 and twenty sixâ— Cottagers and Labourers 800 Acres between them and so proportionably for a lesser Signiory And she ordered that if any unforfeited Lands be intermix'd with the forfeited that the party should be compounded with to his content and brought out that so the Undertaker might have his Manour entire and she also ordered a better Survey to be made of the escheated Lands for the direction of the Commissioners in setting them out to the Undertakers It the mean time the Town of Dingle in Kerry was incorporated with the like Privileges as the Town of Drogbedah enjoyed and there was also a superiority granted to that Corporation over the Harbours of Ventry and Smerwick and the Queen also gave the Townsmen 300 li. towards the walling of the Town The Earl of Desmond and his Complices had forfeited a vast Estate amounting in all to 574628 Acres of Land the Earl himself had a prodigious Revenue for those times and perhaps greater than any other Subject in her Majesty's Dominions For his Rents were as followeth  l. s. d. In the County of Limerick 2413 17 02 Corke 1569 01 11 Kerry 2711 01 02 ½ Waterford 0242 14 02 Typerary 0060 00 00 Dublin 0042 08 00 Total 7039 02 07 ½ And this great Estate except what was restored to Condon the White Knight c. was by the Queen who was intent on the peopling of Munster disposed to certain Undertakers   Rent per ann  Acres l. s. d. Com. Waterford Sir Lib. M. 166. Christopher Hatton 10910 060 07 09 Com. Cork Waterford Sir W. Raleigh 12000 066 13 04 Com. Kerry Sir Edw. Denny 06000 100 00 00 Ibid. Sir William Harbart 13276 221 05 04 Ibid. Charles Harbart 03768 062 15 04 Ibid. John Holly 04422 073 14 00 Ibid. Capt. Jenkin Conwey 00526 008 18 08 Ibid. John Champion 01434 023 18 00 Cork Sir Warham Saint Leger 06000 016 13 04 Ibid. Hugh Cuff 06000 033 06 08 Ibid. Sir Thomas Norris 06000 033 06 08 Ibid. Arthur Robins 01800 010 00 00 Ibid. Arthur Hide 05574 030 19 02 Ibid. Fane Beecher and Hugh Worth 24000 133 06 08 Thomas Say 05778 031 18 08 Arthur Hyde 11766 065 02 10 Edmund Spencer 03028 017 07 06 Cork and Waterford Richard Beacon 06000 033 06 08 Lymerick Sir William Courtney 10500 131 05 00 Ibid. Francis Barkly Esq 07250 087 10 00 Ibid. Robert Anslow 02599 027 01 06 Ibid. Rich. and Alex. Fitton 03026 031 10 05 Ibid. Edmund Manwaring Esq 03747 039 00 7 ½ Limerick Waterf Typerary Sir Edward Fitton 11515 098 19 02 Limerick William Trenchard Esq 1â—000 155 00 00 Ibid. George Thorton Esq 01500 015 12 06 Ibid. Sir George Bourcher 12880 134 04 04 Ibid. Henry Billingsley Esq 11800 147 10 00 Typerary Thomas Earl of Ormond 03000 016 13 04   1976 07 05 And on the 14th of February Letters were written to every County in England to encourage younger Brethren to be undertakers in Ireland and particularly Popham Attorney General was appointed in Somerset-shire to treat with them The Queen's Proposals were to give them Estates in see at 3 d. per Acre in Limerick Conilagh and Kerry one with another and 2 d. per Acre in Cork and Waterford every 300 Acres Demesn to maintain a Gelding every 200 Acres of Tenancy a Foot man arm'd no Irish to be permitted to reside on the Land They were to be Rent-free till March 1590. and to pay but half Rent for three Years from thence they were to hold in Soccage and to have Liberty for ten years to transport the Growth of their Land to any place in amity with England without Custome and to doe no Service till Michaelmas 1590. and then but moderately and be free from Cess for ever and to have Liberty to transport necessaries from England without Custome and they were promised that there should be Garisons on their Frontiers and that they should have Commissioners to decide their Controversies in Munster Lib. D D D. but some of these Covenants the Queen did not perform and particularly that of keeping Forces for their Security and it seems that some of the Undertakers did encroach upon the Lands of the Loyal or protected Irish or at least they made so general a complaint of it that they obtain'd a Proclamation to issue to restrain it In the mean time the Burks a powerfull family in Connaugh finding that they lost much of their Authority by the aforesaid Compositions and the Establishment of a Regular Government in that Province repented of what they had done and formed many groundless Complaints whereupon the Bishops of 〈◊〉 and Meath c. were commissioned to examine and doe them right The Commissioners were indulgent to them and they promised submission and acquiescence but nevertheless in few days after they seduced the 〈◊〉 Joyces c. and went into Rebellion and manned Castle Nikally and Thomas Row's Castle At the same time Mahowne O Brian held the Castle of Clan Owen against the Queen but Bingham in seven days time won it and flew O Brian and razed that Castle and another of Fardaraugh Mac Donels to the ground and Richard Burk on Proof of Confederacy was executed by Marshal Law However the Burks proceeded in their Rebellion and murthered Sixteen of the Officers of Connaugh and invited the Scotish Islanders who to the