CAREW MSS.

ELIZABETH.

1575.

March 14.

Vol. 628, p. 266a.

1. The PRIVY COUNCIL to the LORD DEPUTY (FITZWILLIAMS).
The Queen is fully resolved to go through with the enter-
prise of Ulster, and to follow the plot of the Earl of Essex,
which you and the Council there do not mislike. "Seeing
her Highness will precisely have no more soldiers in pay than
2,000, we were willing to think upon that one thing, amongst
other, how those might be best employed and placed." We
send you a plot, which we think "may be confirmable to her
Majesty's design and expectation for the rest of the realm
besides Ulster.' The Queen has written more fully to you.
Richmond, 14 March 1574.

Contemp. copy. P. 1. Headed: From the Lls. to the Lo.
Deputy, Sir H. Sydney.*

II. "The draught for the number of horsemen, footmen, and
kerne under the Deputy the 15th of March 1574."
The Deputy; horse, 50, foot, 50. The Treasurer; horse, 10,
foot, 10. The Marshal; horse, 24. The Master of the Ordnance;
horse, 10. The Clerk of the Check; horse, 6.

The fort in Leix; horse, 30, foot, 100. The fort in Ofaill; foot, 10. These two countries to be under the charge of one sufficient person, and to have the order of the Irish adjoining.

Lawghlen and the Cave[n]aughes; horse, 20, foot, 10. Francis Agard for the Birnes; horse, 10, kerne, 20. Athelone; foot, 20. Roscoman; foot, 15. Dongarvan; horse, 5, foot, 5. Castelmaine; foot, 10. Catherlaughe; foot, 8.

Spare bands; horse, 50, foot, 100.

For Leyx-Francis Cosby; kerne, 33. Ony McHewgh; kerne, 21.

For Offaley-Ministers of the Ordnance, 20.

Total, 737.

Contemp. copy. Pp. 2.

17909.

*This is an error. Sir William FitzWilliams was Deputy at this time.

[QUEEN ELIZABETH] to the LORD DEPUTY and the EARL OF ESSEX.

"We have at good length considered of the matter propounded by you, our cousin of Essex, for th' enterprise to reduce the province of Ulster to our obedience by yielding to the maintenance of the garrison there, with the yearly charges of 26,000l. for two years, and by granting to expend 13,000l. in fortifying certain places there within the same two years."

"Though [you] the Earl first have, by your several letters and now also by the declaration of Nicholas Maltbye, laboured to make this enterprise appear feasible and honorable, and in the end also profitable; and you the Deputy, with some others of our Council there, have by your letters recommended the same enterprise; yet we cannot but think the matter doubtful, whether th' effect that is pretended may certainly follow, considering we hear not of anything of moment in any parts of Ulster answerable by the charge that hath been borne by us, and some part by you, the Earl, almost these two years. Neither do we see it made manifest, but conjectural, when the two years shall be at an end, that there shall be good and assured means first to bear such a garrison as shall be necessary to continue there afterward, which we think must needs be more than 500, which we think too small a number by your plot limited; and next also to make some recompence of our great charges, which certainty must be spent in those two years, over and above in any uncertain accident charges not now thought of.

"Besides that also we find it not expressed by any advertisement from thence, that admitting to have the numbers of 2,000 to be maintained by us for the charges of the whole realm, as you, the Earl, did first in your letters of October suppose to be sufficient, and that out of those there might be 1,300 employed as a continual garrison for this enterprise of Ulster for two years, how we may think or judge the rest of Ireland should be governed and kept, if, out of that number of 2,000, 1,300 should be taken, and always for the space of these two years continued in Ulster." You must therefore enter into the following considerations.

(1.) In all the rest of Ireland there is no notable trouble, and we do not mean to continue the charge of 2,000 except for the respect of Ulster. We do not think that 1,300 out of the 2,000 might be employed in Ulster, and the rest of the realm staid in quietness by 700, unless you, the Earl, could yield assistance to the Lord Deputy in any case of necessity.

(2.) You, the Deputy, without any frequent calling for aid from the service of Ulster, may do well to forbear from irritating any of the captains of the Irish in other parts, or the

"not" in MS.

1575.

lords out of the English Pale. Thus, if you both concur for our service, 1,300 may be well spared for Ulster, and, as we have more cause to doubt of the success in Ulster, than to have the rest of the realm staid by the 700, you the Deputy shall, at times requisite, "give aid or some hostings for carriage and victualling of the places where the fortifications shall be until the same may be brought into defence."

(3.) It is thought that the bands in Ulster may be from time to time relieved by the other bands.

Having showed you some of our doubts, if you will join you good wills towards this enterprise, we will consent to the same, and authorize you both to proceed herein. "And because you, our cousin of Essex, did at the beginning require, beside the number of 1,300, 400 kerne and 100 pioneers, we can be content with the charge of the said kerne and pioneers,' so as it exceed not 3d. a day for each person. "Where your motion was to have the wages of our garrison in Ulster to be sterling pay, we cannot assent thereto, neither for example sake, nor yet for the charge thereof; neither do we think it so needful, seeing there shall be a staple of victual provided for the same, as is in the rest of our realm; and yet if you shall think it meet to reward some that have need, as it may be thought the horsemen, we think that you may reasonably require, within a small time after your entry, for the first two years, that some cesse or relief be given and contributed to th' amendment of their wages by the Irishry, whom you shall defend from the tyranny of O'Nele and the Scots. And we see not but, to ease us also of some further charge in other things, you may reasonably require and obtain of the said Irish some reasonable relief."

We think neither of you have had care of our unnecessary charges, for you, the Deputy, seem to continue in pay the number of 1,850, and you, the Earl, 1,291, both which numbers make 3,141. We have great marvel by what warrant or for what service so many were first taken or are continued in pay, for you, the Deputy, know that when you had the journey to make against Desmond, 1,900 was thought sufficient. We command you both to discharge all above the number of 2,000. If you two do not accord to proceed with the enterprise of Ulster, we charge you, our Deputy, that no more be continued. in our pay than 1,500 or 1,600. And yet though this enterprise take no place, we think some convenient force should be left in Knockfargus and elsewhere in Clandeboy, and some also near the Newry.

"And where we seem here to write some words as in case th' enterprise of Ulster might not peradventure take effect," yet we trust it shall not now quail or come to nothing. 15 March 1574.

Contemp. copy. Pp. 7. Headed: Deputy; Essex.