1580. July 9. Vol. 597, p. 355a. July 12. Vol. 597, p. 356. 411. 412. suffered the enemy in our absence to fly his cattle by them, and to have relief within their countries. I dissembled my disliking, and by fair means allured them to this place under pretence that letters were here from her Majesty, and under colour of a consultation with others of the Council. I departed from Cork on the 5th, and being stopped by the way by the rage of the Broad Water, I arrived here on the 7th, having in my company the Earl of Clancartie, the Viscount Barrie, and others. "The rest I refer unto the report of my brother Spencer, to whom I do not only beseech your Lordships to give credit as a person well deserving here, and not unacquainted with this country causes (whom I have appointed to remain there to call upon the resolution of these affairs), but also that it will please your Lls. to be means to her Majesty to have compassion upon his years and long service, having many ways been employed without recompense, and, namely, in the North as Master of the Ordnance.* If by your Lls'. good means he might taste of her Majesty's bounty to relieve him some way in his age, I would accompt it as a singular favour and benefit from her Majesty and from all your Lls." * Limerick, 9 July 1580. Signed. Contemp. copy. Pp. 71. The LORD JUSTICE and COUNCIL to DAVID BARRIE. "Whereas, upon some accusation made against the Viscount your father for his undutifulness and negligence in the service of her Majesty, he is for a time restrained from returning into those parts, the rather because it is manifested unto us that he hath been not only the director of you in your late doings, but also hath since that time forbidden you to do such service in requital of your fault as we are informed you were willing to do; we have thought good therefore to confer with you about the ordering of your father's country, so as we may stand assured of your loyalty and dutiful behaviour, for which we will expect pledges at your hands, and therefore will you presently to repair unto us, which you may do with safety, notwithstanding any offence past.” Limerick, 9 July 1580. Signed at the beginning: William Pelham; at the end: Tho. Ormound, H. Miden., H. Wallope, Lu. Dillon, War. St. Leger, Ni. White, Ed. Waterhouse. Contemp. copy. P. 1. The LORD JUSTICE and COUNCIL to the PRIVY COUNCIL in ENGLAND. "The bearer, Mr. Spencer, is so sufficiently instructed to declare unto you the success of the late journey into Kerrie *James Spencer was appointed Master of the Ordnance in the north of England in November or December 1569, during the rebellion there. 270 1580. July 12. Vol. 619, p. 36. July 12. Vol. 619, p. 37. 413. 414. and Desmond made by us, the Lord Justice and the Earl of Ormond, accompanied with the army, as we refer unto him the report of the whole, who, by his note of each day's travel and his own observation of all other matters of importance, may excuse the writing of a long letter to your Lls.” We assembled the principal lords and gentlemen of Cork. We allured them hither for farther consultation with the rest of the Council, and have had them twice before us, and proceeded with them first in one course to make them yield their several submissions, and next to have won out of them a mitigation of her Majesty's charges by some contribution to the army. The Viscount Barrie was the most faulty and most obstinate in his behaviour. We send a copy of our first and second days' consultation. They were unwilling to burden their countries, but each of them yielded pledges, and some offered to serve with their own people at their own charges. Limerick, 12 July 1580. Signed. SIR NICHOLAS MALBIE to the EARL OF LEICESTER. I have sent you certain notes by Mr. Guildford how all things stand here, and what is meetest to be done. I have besought Mr. Secretary to communicate them to the Council. I beseech you to favour my own suits. Mr. Guildford has served here without any pay. He is your kinsman and true follower. As the matter of legitimacy between John and Ulyck Burcke, I think, will be in question before the Lords as a matter most necessary to be known, Mr. Guildford doth bring over writings and commissions which have passed for that matter. "The Irish are generally in a great jollity, expecting foreign forces." "I have sent your Honour a goshawk, and because I know you love the sport at the Pye,* I have sent your Honour a cast of tussell gentilles.† Many hawks have died with me." Athlone, 12 July 1580. Signed. Your old servant Mr. John Merbury is here. Holograph. Pp. 2. Sealed, addressed, and endorsed. SIR NICHOLAS MALBIE. "Instructions for the Earl of Leicester to be delivered by Mr. Henry Guildford the 12th of July 1580." (1.) Declare the great disorder committed by the townsmen of Gallawaye, "and the bravery used by them after the fury "The Pye" was a brewhouse in Smithfield. † Tercel gentles. 1580. appeased in marching up and down the streets with sound of drum, with spiteful speeches of their conquest against the English soldiers, terming them and all the rest no better than English churls." Such a fine should be laid upon them in the Star Chamber for this riot, as shall build a citadel to command the town, without which the governor and the English shall ever be in danger of those odious people upon every drunkard's quarrel. I would keep it with one captain and 20 soldiers. (2.) By the passage now found out between Athlone and Limerick by boat, the ruined castle of Melyke is the midway place where the boats stop and receive relief, and all the passengers find great ease and commodity by it. It may please her Majesty to grant me the same place in free socage to me and my heirs, or else for 100 years, at the accustomed rent, I will build up the castle and keep residence there. (3.) I am now entered into a great charge of building the castle and town of Rosecomen. As her Majesty's grant is to me and my heirs males, having but one son, by which the same is [like] to revert to the crown, and thereby the rest of my children shall be left destitute, by reason the said building is like to bring me into great want, I am an humble petitioner to her Majesty to grant me the same to me and my heirs general, or else that an allowance may be given to my children for the said building. She should appoint me Seneschal of the country of Rosecomen. (4.) "Upon the late stay of John Burke at Gallowaye, where the most part of the gent' of Clanrycard then were present, the said gent' did exhibit a bill of petition, by which your Honour may perceive what good rule the Earl's sons did keep, until I had taken their pledges." The inward hatred between the two brothers for the legitimacy is very great. It were a good act to cause the Earl [of Clanricard] to confess the truth; "and for the knowledge thereof, there is trial by commission that Ulike is legitimate, which is now sent over by Mr. Guildford; and if that matter were decided, all would be well, and the gent' would leave taking of parts, which is the greatest impediment of the well-doing of Clanrycard." Remember my plat for Ireland; it will be found the best. I send you a copy of Nicholas Linche's bill, agent here for the Earl of Clanricarde, confessing the receipt of the Earl's castles and lands. (5.) At my late being in England certain lands in the Kellies' country, which are claimed by the Earl of Ormond, were in question before their Lordships. The Queen's pleasure was that I should forbear to take up the rent allotted by the Kellies by the composition made with them, amounting to 401. per annum, and that the Earl should bring forth his title. The year expired in March last, and nothing is done therein. (6.) Divers principal gentlemen and freeholders of this province seek to surrender their castles and lands, which they 1580. July 13. Vol. 597, p. 357a. 415. hold by Irish tenure, desiring to hold the same of her Majesty by English tenure, and, besides the composition of the country, will yield a chief rent to her. (7.) "The Scots be the only hope that any evil-disposed Irishry have to sustain them in their enterprises, which being cut off from them, it is no great work to govern the Irish, neither any hard matter to expulse the Scots." (8.) "Sundry disorders are committed within this province by loose men, and [there is] a daily expectation that as opportunity shall serve the Irish will take their time." I am an humble suitor to her Majesty to allow me any extraordinary charges for suppressing such rebels out of such rents, revenues, and compositions as accrue within this province. Signed: Nycho. Malbie. Pp. 4. Endorsed. PELHAM to SIR WILLIAM WINTER. Your letters of the 29th and 9th have been brought me by my cousin Grevell and Mr. Holden. The Marshal's bad ministers have suffered that traitorous priest to escape me that you so carefully sent. Before Sir Owen O'Sulivane Beare departs from me, I will look for the redelivery of him, and for conformity of subjection within Beare and Bantrie. Thanks for the articles which concerned his (Sir Owen's) misdemeanours. If the ship of victuals come from Dublin, pay yourself of the proportion of beer, and the remain I wish to be put into Castle Mange. I have sent you herewith an authority, not only to execute by martial law such as be offenders, English or Irish, but also authority to protect. Though for terror I do not mention it in my authority, "the law martial doth not extend within the Queen's jurisdictions to execute any that is worth 107. in goods, or hath 40s. a year of freehold." I do not wish any freeholders to be protected but the McSwines, because if her Majesty purpose to make benefit of escheated lands, then it were good that all freeholders were left simply to her mercy. To whomsoever you give protection, promise pardon, and bind him to sue it out within three months. "Now how your news concurreth with the necessity of your departure for lack of victuals, and with the likelihood of Spanish preparations, which may be guessed by the coming of the vessel to Castle Haven, whereof you write, I leave to you to judge. "It is testified by divers, as well of Kinsale as Waterford, that lately came out of Galicia, and now within these two days confirmed at Waterford, that 6,000 Romans are ready to embark there; that they have 80 ships, whereof many of great burden; that they have many victuallers laden with wheat, whereof 50,000 Spanish measures called 1580. July 13. Vol. 597, p. 359a. 416. haveges have been put aboard in one haven. They report that the Marquis of Sara had private talk with some of them, confessing himself to be the Queen's good ally (as I think he be by the house of Lancaster), and gave forth that great troubles would be this year in Ireland; and other taking upon him to know the general, a Spaniard named Don John de Alonnso; and that he saw the Pope's Nuncio and him together about the preparations. These rumours are not unknown in England, for they have been often advertised, and the last informer is gone to the Court to declare his own intelligence." A supply of victuals is coming from England to you, and some refreshing to us; and a speech is given forth, as though other vessels of smaller burden were on their way towards you with new directions. I cannot keep the field for lack of bread after the expense of one month. There are now come from Mr. Bashe 21,000 pieces of beef, which will never be uttered without mutiny or danger to the soldiers' health. Search the harbors between that and Cork, whether any relief be come to prolong your stay. I send my brother Spencer presently into England, to whom I commit so much of your advertisements as concerned the Spanish shallop and the forcible taking of Donnell Rowe McTeige, and to utter unto the Lords your care in searching those harbours upon the south-west coasts of this province." Turlouge Lenoughe has, as I hear from England, solicited the King of Scots for 4,000 Scots, his wife, a daughter of Argill, being agent in the Court of Scotland, but prevented by the diligence of Mr. Robert Bowes, her Majesty's ambassador. Limerick, 13 July 1580. Signed. LETTERS under the SIGNET for SIR WILLIAM WINTER. Whereas the mariners, sailors, and others of the meaner sort of people attending the marine service under Sir William Winter, Admiral, do great injuries to such poor people as are received to her Majesty's protection within the county of Kerrie, and upon other parts of Desmond and the county of Cork; and whereas many other the inhabitants of those parts have submitted themselves to the said Admiral, seeking of him to be protected: we authorize him to punish, correct, and execute by law martial any such offender, English or Irish, that so shall rob and spoil her Majesty's reconciled subjects within the country of Desmond and the counties of Kerrie and Cork; and to grant protections in writing. Limerick, 13 July 1580. Signed by the Lord Justice and Council. * The Earl of Argyle. |