yearely as the commodity of their Lands encreaseth the wages to abate and so at length cleane to extinguish 10 Item to the end the Ports in Ireland especially of Mounster may be inhabited and fortified against forraigne attempts it shall bee well your Maiesty doe not onely strengthen the Priuiledges already graunted but also graunt new 11 Item that Merchants in generall be prohibited vpon paine of death to sell Powder or any kinde of Warlike Munition to any of the Irish 12 Item that honest and skilfull men be taken out of euery Court of Record here and placed there for the setling of the due course of the Lawes And for their better encouragement to doe well that in respect of their honest trauels they be promised preferments of Offices in the Courts here as any doe fall fit for them 13 Item that the Glybb and all Irish habite of men and women be presently abollished and that Orders be set downe for enlarging the English tongue and extinguishing the Irish in as short a time as conueniently may be 14 Item that the factions of Butler and Geraldine with the titles of Ahmabo and Crâ—ghmabo be taken away 15 Finally to the end your Maiesties State be more followed and depended vpon then hitherto it hath beene and the Lords of the Counties lesse reseruing to them the honour and reputation due to their places as the Noble men here haue I thinke it very necessary that a suruay be taken of all their Lands and that your Maiesty by good aduice shall take such a third part thereof into your hands as shall lye fittest for the furtherance of your Seruice Giuing them of improoued Lands in England by way of exchange a valuable recompence So shall your Maiesties followers encrease and theirs diminish to the great assurance of your State there Besides that by that meanes your Highnes shall haue alwayes A CONTINVATION of the History of IRELAND vnto this time 1626 whereof this is the first Booke beginning 1584. and ending 1588. the rest shall follow Queene Elizabeths prosperous and peaceable gouernment WHen Queene Elizabeth the mirrour of women and most famous of Princes had to the wonder of the world and her owne euer flourishing fame gouerned these her Kingdoms of England and Ireland 1584 for the space of almost sixe and twenty yeares and did now plainely finde that the Romish and Spanish practises those ambitious States affecting vniuersall Supremacie the one in ouer ruling Religion the other in coueting absolute Monarchy had taken holde of the reuolting disposition nature of the Irish now wearier of the English yoke of obedience then euer in respect of their contrariety in Religion which through their wildnesse and barbarisme they would not haue beene The Romane Locusts and especially Sanders incendiaries of Rebellion so sensible of but by the stirring vp of the Romane Locusts the instruments of strife bloud and dissention as late manifestation was made in the fruit of that wicked Priest and Traytor Doctor Sanders his worke who not onely drew in the inuading Popish-Spanish forces one of those States aucthorising the other The Popish-Spanish forces defeated by the Lord Gray then Deputy supporting into Mounster where at Smerwick they were defeated by her Maiesties forces vnder the commaund of the right worthy and religious Deputy the Lord Gray but had likewise incited the Lords of Desmond and Baltinglasse with many their confederates to an insurrection not without suspition of the Earle of Kildares conniuencie therein which fire being well quenched by the wisedome The too specdy recalling of the Lord Gray hindred the vtter extinguishing of Desmonds insurrection and valour of that noble Gouernour but not vtterly extinct he being too speedily reuoked thence by the meanes of his enemies at Court enuying his vertues and malicing his successe And the sword committed vnto two Iustices who as in bodies and qualities so varied they indispositions and affection Way was giuen by neglect the Handmayde of diuision to the reuiuing those sparkes which lay hid and couered in the embers of the Iesuites forge which her Maiestic discerning repented no doubt the calling away of the former Deputie but like a great minded Prince vnwilling to confesse errour or to shew the power of such as had preuailed with her in this particular called her selfe home to a new election of such a Gouernour as was likely to answere the necessity of her seruice and to rule that Kingdome to the good and quiet of her people wherein though her happinesse was such as to haue plenty of worthy seruants Regis ad exemplum c. yet most worthily the lot of Sir Iohn Perrott elected Lord Deputy of Ireland her iudgement fell at this time vpon Sir Iohn Perrot a Gentleman discended of an auncient and Noble family and that illustrated by his owne vertue which being supported with a faire Patrimony the effectuall grace of Ancient Nobility gaue glory to his minde His profession being a Souldier for as his meanes bestowed grace vpon the profession so the profession returned the more honour to his vndertaking free hazard being indeede the high path to honour especially when it is guided by a transcendent iudgement which hee had formerly manifested by diuers imployments In her Maiesties Nauie hee had not long before Sir Iohn Perrotts imployment against Stukely the commaund of sixe of her Shipps to encounter Stukeley expected with the Papall banner to haue inuaded Ireland Hee was the Sir Iohn Perrott the first Praesident of Mounster first Lord President of the Prouince of Mounster made by the aduice of Sir Henry Sidney While he was Deputy of Ireland wherein hee had gouerned with good successe to her Maiesties Seruice and such notice had she taken of his iudgement and experience in that Kingdome as shee required his opinion in writing Sir Iohn Perrotts opinion for reformation of Ireland applauded by the Queene and Councell for reformation of errours and establishing a perfection in the gouernment there which he performed to her good liking and the applause of her Councell This iudicious and exact discourse I haue added for the satisfaction of the Reader to my Preface These merrits induced that prouident Prince to this his Election So as commission Sir Iohn Perrots taking of the sword was giuen and the sword deliuered him in Christes Church in Dublin on the 26. of Iune anno 1584. by the afore mentioned Iustices at which time peraduenture in imitation of the ancient Romane Gouernours who were euer accustomed at their Election into Sir Iohn Perrots speech when he receiued the sword publique Office to make Orations to the people hee made a briefe speech more plaine and pithy then glorious or eloquent the words being to this effect That since it had pleased God and her Maiestie to commit to him that great gouernment how weake so euer hee were to vndergoe so heauy a weight yet hee would doe his best endeuour to distribute
opinions what seruice were fit to bee first attempted and where Some in Vlster against the Scots Some in Connaught against the Burks Some in Mounster against Desmond and some in Leynster against Baltinglass and each haue their reason It were not good to neglect any of them but presently at least to front euery of them The choyse therefore where to begin would be left at large at the Deputies discretion to doe therin as he seeth cause Neuerthelesse aboue all the rest that in Leynster which aptly may bee called an intestin mischiefe would be in mine opinion first dealt withall as well for the indignity of the matter as also for the suppression of the Birnes Tooles and Cauenaghes which as now to Baltinglass haue and euer will be ready Rebellion to the Omoores Oconers and all others For vntill they be eyther extirped or throughly brought vnder by fortifications vpon their fastnesses Dublin Kildare Westmeth the Kings Queenes Counties cannot be cleare either of theirs the Omoores and Oconors incursions spoyles or of doubt of the Magoghigans Omoloyes other stirring Irish borderers But they being suppressed the Omoores Oconors lose all their chiefe strength and refuge and the residue with either the Sword or the Law will be easily enough kept vnder So as then the Pale may without feare or danger attend your Maiesties other Seruice with their best ayde That being happily as it willw i th Gods fauour be soone at chieued then is your Deputy to proceede against the rest and still as hee goeth to make great paces throughout all their Woods and fatnesses and small fortifications vpon euery their streight and strength after the example of your Maiesties most Noble Progenitors in subduing of Wales And whilst this is in doing your Maiestie had neede to haue not onely part of your Nauy to lye on the Coast to answere forraign attempts if there be cause and to keep the Rebels from starting ouer Sea But also small Vessels to lye vpon the Scots to impeach their Inuasions The Rebellion being repressed and your Maiesty hauing shewed mercy to those that you shall see cause to bestowe it well vpon then must the fruits of peaceable Gouernement be made to appeare To that end it shall be requisite to call a Parliament and by Authority thereof not onely to reuiue all former olde Statutes that shall be consonant to a reformed Gouernment but also to Enact new for the establishing of the Articles ensuing and such other as vpon aduice shall be thought meete 1. First for as much as the only way for true obedience to the Prince groweth by true knowledge of God it shal be requisite that two Vniuersities where the same may bee truly taught be erected with as conuenient speede as may be The fittest places for them will be at Lymbrick for the south part and Arnagh for the North The meanes to doe it may bee partly by some of the Lands that shall excheat to your Maiesty by this Rebellion and partly by imposition of workes labours carriages and money as Fines vpon those that shall bee thought fit to be pardoned 2 Item to the end it may appeare that the reformation tendeth to a lawfull Gouernement it shall bee meete that a Collection bee made of the Lawes already in force and a publique denuntiation made by Proclamation for the putting of them in present Execution especially the Lawes of King Kogish 3 Item the Earle of Ormond is to be compounded withall for his liberties of Tibredary so as your Maiesties Lawes onely ruling there my Lord neuerthelesse to haue the Excheats as by the ordinance of Wales the Lords Marchers haue there As for the Earle of Desmond his liberties of County Pallantine in Kerry there needeth no composition with him he being in Rebellion 4 Item that all Ireland bee reduced into Manours so as hauing Courts Barons Leetes and Lawdayes kept orderly vpon them the people may haue Iustice for meane actions neere home 5 Item that all Cesse cuttings and Irish exactions as Bonnaght Coyne and Liuory Fowey Soren Black rents and such like bee cleane abollished And that in lieu thereof a certaine Annuall rent bee rated vpon euery Plow Land to the vse of the Lord by composition tripartity indented to be made betwixt your Maiestie the Lord and his Free-holder by the Lord Deputy Lord Presidents or other Commissioners by them authorized reseruing besides for your Maiesty according to the Statutes made for that purpose 13 shillings foure pence vpon euery Plow land with prouiso that if the Lord doe breake the composition or take againe any of the said exactions then hee to forfeit the inheritance of those Lands And that by that tripartity Indenture both the Lord and the Freeholder bee bound to let his demeanes or any other Land that he shall demise to the Tennant otherwise called Churle at a reasonable rent certaine for terme of 21 yeares at least Thus the Freeholder and the Tennant being at a certainty and rid of the vncertaine spoyle and spending of the Lord and feeling the ease and commodity thereof will withstand the vnlawfull attempts of the Lord and be ready with his body and goods against him if neede bee at the deuotion of the State that shall be meanes thus to enrich and better his estate 6 Item no Lord or Gentlemen for any respect or colour of Seruice be admitted to put vpon his Lordship or Signory any Galloglagh Kerne or Shot or to grant them any Kenelagh Follow Bonaghbeg or Bonaghburr vpon paine offellony Neuerthelesse vpon any great necessity the Lord Deputy or Lords Presidents shall put in any Galloglagh Kerne or Shot and those to be called and reputed your Maiesties Galloglagh Kerne or Shot 7 Item that all Brehons Carraghes Bardes and Rymers that infect the people Friars Monkes Iesuites Pardoners Nunns and such like that openly seeke the maintenance of Papacy a Traytrous kinde of people the Bellowes to blow the coales of all mischiefe and Rebellion and fit spies of Antichrist whose Kingdome they greedily expect to bee restored be executed by Marshall Law and their fauourers and maintainers by due course of Law to be tryed and executed as in cases of Treason 8 Item if your Maiesty in respect of pollicie or otherwise doe not thinke it good vtterly to destroy the Irish Scots that doe continually inuade your good Subiects and ayde the Rebellious against your Highnesse That it were well your Maiesty did graunt to the Earle of Arguile an yearely Pention for a time to the end he should restraine them from comming euer into England 9 Item that the English Horsemen Footmen the Galloglaghes Kerne and Irish Shot bee placed in the seuerall Prouinces of the Realme as the seruice and the necessity of the place shall require And that of the Lands in your Maiesties disposition by Excheat or otherwise as soone as conuensently may bee some portions bee allotted to them to dwell vpon and manure at a certaine reasonable rate And
equall Iustice vnto all which hee knew to be her Maiesties minde And quoth he this sword laying his hand vpon the sword of State shall punish ill doers without partiality and protect the good subiect from violence and iniury but because words and deedes doe now a dayes vse to dwell farre assunder I leaue you that heare me now hereafter to iudge mee and my words by my deedes This short speech being pronounced in such a manner as his naturall Maiestie of personage spirit and countenance did vsually afford receiued no lesse applause from the standers by then it gaue them hope it would proue a debt wherein the payment would iustly follow the promise The ceremony being ended with the accustomed rites thereunto belonging The next day hee communicated in Councell his commission and instructions which for the better satisfaction of such as mistake the graunt of that gouernment both in limit of authority and terme of Residencie I haue thought meete to declare that his Pattent was as all other Deputies not with limitation The amplitude of the Deputies Cōmission of yeares or time of gouernment but during pleasure containing power to make warre and peace To leauy Armes and Forces for that purpose To punish and pardon offenders To conferre all Offices and collate all Spirituall promotions and dignities a fewe of them excepted concluded with the greatest Latitude of authority which can bee giuen a Subiect which is to doe all things in cases of Iustice and gouernment as the Prince might doe being present The reseruation of making Priuie Counsailers great Officers Bishops and such like alwayes giuen heere by the Prince himselfe with diuers other things too long to be here recited In his priuate instructions besides matters of profit as sparing her Maiesties purse and easing her charge setling of differences amongst the subiects and planting indifferencie betweene the superiour and inferiour taking away thereby dependencie The erecting of the Vniuersity in Dublin giuē in charge to the Deputy the bane of that Kingdome There was precisely giuen him in charge the erection of an Vniuersity in Dublin for the aduancement of learning neuer till that time set on foote and that by this Deputies vrging though long time before proiected and in King Edward the sixt time intended So soone as the mists of Ignorance the mother of Popish deuotion was by the shining reformation of Religion dispierced and most especially requisite in that Kingdome as a chiefe spring and fountaine of ciuility His authority thus shewed He fell with them in Councell touching the affaires of that Kingdome both as it was giuen him in charge and as they were presented to the viewe of his owne experient iudgement wherein he spent eighteene dayes after which consultation hee fell to shewe the fruites of Councell in setting downe acts and decrees Amnestia or the act of Obliuion for the good of her Maiesties seruice and Kingdome amongst which was Amnestia or the act of Obliuion according to the institution of the ancient and excellent Law-giuers the Lacedemonians being in the nature of a generall pardon for offences past which was both a mercifull and a politique prouision to keepe Transgressours from despaire the ready mean to enduce them to the encrease of mischiefe but being reduced to obedience by this act of clemencie and so setled in security It was most probable and likely that they who had lately felt the smart of raging and wantfull warre would now kisse peace and embrace it with a firmer constancy At the same time he sent into England the sonne of the late Earle of Desmond being but young and yet held dangerous hee should be bred in that Kingdome where practise might worke his escape and little meanes was to yeeld him a meete breeding with request for his carefull education here that Religion and ciuility might after leade him to the performance of those duties wherein through barbarisme his Predecessours had erred and trangressed Then like a good Gouernour that would abandon ease the mother of errour and corruption The Lord Deputies Progresse into Connaught Mounster he left Dublin the seate of State to settle the remote parts and Prouinces of Mounster and Connaught vnder their Gouernours newly sent ouer General Norrys Lord President of Mounster and Captaine Richard Bingham chiefe Commissioner of Connaught in whose choise this Lord Deputy as I haue heard had a great hand iudging them meete men both for the managing of warre and conseruation of peace So much did their valour iudgement and experience promise for them who had at that time gained the reputation of the two most able Captaines of our Nation wherein his wisedome or fortune did appeare the greater when by such meanes his directions should not onely be skilfully performed but himselfe cased of that care and feare a Chiefe is subiect to when his substitutes be weake especially such principall Gouernours as haue power to answere suddaine occasions vpon their owne discretions but how sufficient so euer they were as his authority was to gouerne them so he thought it his part to guide them by the example of his owne worke purposing in those Prouinces to heare complaints to redresse abuses to decide controuersies and to appease dissentions and quarrels betweene Lords of Countries and men of Ability and speciall quality whose discords and controuersies had vsually drawne them into vnwarrantable actions and many times enforced the Prince both to the hazard and losse of the good Subiects and to the expence of Treasure to bring an Army to appease their quarrels as in the contention betweene Desmond and Ormonde had lately falne out and that which is most dangerous in that Kingdome It hath alwayes beene found that Rebellion hath beene the Successour of priuate quarrels Mischiefe like ambition clyming to the highest places For these ends and purposes the Deputy tooke his iourney from Dublin the thirteenth day of Iuly attended on by diuers persons of account in that State and came to Molingarre the 16. of the same moneth where to preuent discouery of such intelligence as should passe betweene him and the Councell at Dublin by the interception of his or their Letters Hee deuised and sent thence to the Lord Chancellour and Sir Henry Wallop the Treasurer the late Iustices and now by him authorised for the dispatch of the affaires of the State in his absence The Deputies Alphabeticall deuice of secrecie certaine ciphers and figures framed after an Alphabet importing the names of some of the chiefe persons and places in England and Ireland which deuise for secrecie was most necessarie in that Kingdome where the people are very inquisitiue and in the succeeding Warre were apt to giue discouery to the Rebell as well for Religions sake as to gaine fauour vpon his Incursions The want of this course had like to haue opened to the Rebell the last and greatest intention of the Lord Burgh against them by the interception of his last Letter to the
whom the Queene had not in her Dominions a more able and sufficient Gentleman and that did more neerely lay his actions to a good conscience so as he did nothing but by the warrant thereof and nothing did argue his duty to God and his Princemore then his The hard cause held against Sir Richara Bingham vniust fall notwithstanding his prime desert in that â—nhappy Kingdome by the deprauing and malicious courses of those Instruments that in time prosecuted the like against him as they did now against this Deputy of whom wee now treat till the light of his innocencie cleared him though too late from their aspersion brought him to a new further aduancement in that Kingdome though his great heart disdayning the iniustice was done him would not hold out long enough to prosecute the seruice which was in his power to performe but ere I come to relate this tragicall misdeede I must mention his vertuous actions by which hee got the hate of his worthlesse Aduersaries and must recommend the Earle of Clanrikard who being a most noble Gentleman and loyall Subiect was one of the principall in this Seruice After treaties succeeded Inquisitions to finde what quantity there was in each Barony The couenants between the Queene and the Lords of Connaught and who were found owners thereof Indentures were drawne betweene the Deputy in the behalfe of the Queene on the one part and the chiefe possessioners in the seuerall Precincts on the other expressing so many quarters and quantities of Land with the Rents thereon reserued and such other couenants as were therein contained In the County of Clare and Thomond the Earle of Clanrikard the Baron of Inseâ—â—uin the Bishop of Killalowe the Elect Bishoâ— of Kilfanorough with diuers Knights and chiefe Gentlemen subscribed to an Indenture of couenants for the perpetuall paying out of the nine Baronies of that County amounting 177 quarters Certaine Freedomes were granted to some speciall persons some quarters of Land to be exempted from this imposition In consideration whereof the Lords and Owners of those Lands did likewise couenaot with the Deputy that the names stiles and Titles of Captainship chiefly and all other Irish Authorities and Iurisdictions heretofore vsed by the Lords Chiefetaines and Gentlemen together with all elections and customary diuisions of Lands which had occasioned great strife and diuision amongst them should be thenceforth vtterly renounced extinct and abollished The like composition was made vpon the same conditions with the Lords spirituall and temporall The Chiefetaines Gentlemen and Freeholders in the County of Maio containing nine Baronies and 1448 quarters of Land euery quarter esteemed to be 120 Acres so that out of this 1448 quarters found in this County there being graunted so much to bee free as there remained 1200 quarters chargeable which amounted to sixe hundred pound sterling in that County There was also by the same composition and couenants to be maintained by the County for the Seruice of the Prince forty good able Horsemen furnished and two hundred Footemen well Armed at their owne costs and charges whensoeuer they should be called or commanded thereto by the Deputy or chiefe Gouernour of the Realme or by the chiefe Officer of the said Prouince and to finde fifteene good Horsemen and fifty Footemen well furnished in such sort as the Peeres and English Bishops ought to doe the same The like composition was made for the County of Sligo all other Counties Countries Baronies and Territories of this Prouince By the eighth of September 1585 the Commissioners had trauailed through the Okelleys Country all Thomond Clanrickard Eighter Connaught and the rest of the County of Galway which Mac William Eighter and the rest of his name which were of many branches besides the petty Lords and other of the second ranke in their Sir Nicholas White his letter to the Lord Deputy Countries So that as Sir Nicholas White certified to the Lord Deputy they conceiued hope to come home loaden with Pledges and leaue that Country vnloaden of many Macks and Oos translated by their owne assent vnto which their hands Seales were had to a better course and more certainty of liuing then hitherto they could afford themselues In the aduertisement of these affaires Sir Nicholas White did propound vnto the Deputy an ingenious Enigma or Ridle That all sorts were eased with their bearing and yet her Maiesties reuenue with the Liuings of the Lords encreased From the County of Mayo the Commissioners were to repasse to the County of Sligo and so homewards to the County of Roscoman The Commissioners doubtfull to meddle with Orurk With Orurkes Country called Letrim they were doubtfull how to meddle considering the condition of himselfe and his Country both vnciuill and vnruly In those places where they had dealt they began to erect Mannours to hold of her Maiestie besides the Compositions and Royalties reserued vnto the Crowne Vpon the returne of this Commission and the Indentures thereupon drawne as formerly mentioned It appeareth there were found in that Prouince 8169 quarters of Land whereof Freedomes were graunted to 2339 so then remained chargeable 6836 whereon there were reserued in yearely Rent to her Maiesty and the Crowne 3418 pound fiue shillings eight pence sterling with the Seruice of so many Horse and Foote as is already mentioned and hereafter set downe Horsemen for rising out within the Prouince of Connaught vpon their owne victuals 224 Horsemen for rising out within the same Prouince for forty dayes vpon their owne victuals 88 Footemen for rising out within the Prouince vpon their owne victuals 1054 Footemen for rising out of the Prouince for forty dayes vpon their owne victuals 332 The Tawnist was cut off in that Prouince Mac William Enghters Country being the lower Bourkes was deuided into fiue parts The Lords and their Tenants were agreed together for a certaine Rent in lieu of all exactions That Prouince was deuided into sixe Counties or Shieres where there were but three before for so I finde it in a note vnder the Deputies Sir Iohn Perrots owne hand yet by another painefull Author I see it mentioned that Sir Henry Sidney made the whole sixe Counties Clare Galway Sligo Mayo Roscomon and Letrim then but one as he had formerly done the County of Longford in Lemster being before called the Annaly or Oferralls Country but I suppose he is mistaken being deuided and The Counties of Connaught deuided by Sir Iohn Perrot not by Sir Henry Sidney peraduenture named by Sir Henry Sidney but perfected by Sir Iohn Perrot Iustices of Assize were ordained and Shriefes and Iustices of the Peace with other inferiour Officers were established in most parts of this Prouince This Seruice so auaileable to the State by cutting off the Inferiours depending onely vpon the Superiour was affected beyond the expectation of many who could not conceiue that Chiefetaines would easily condiscend to quit their cuttings Cosherias and other Irish exactions of so long