1581.

Sept. 30. Vol. 619, p. 50.

492.

parts. If I might have allowance to come to her Highness's presence, I should do good for the service of Ireland.

"I had intelligence, by a letter sent to me by a gentleman of th' English Pale, that I shall be set upon as I return into Connaught, in th' English Pale itself." This bearer, Mr. Parker, will deliver the letter to you. I have sent for my horsemen to meet me by the way. I trust Tyr. Lenaghe shall repent his coming. The rebels of Ireland do more covet my life than any man's. Ormond would fain have me hanged. Sir William Russell doth repair over.

Dublin, 21 September 1581. Signed.

"I have given in charge to Mr. Parker to declare unto your Honour that which I am loth to commit to the pen." Holograph. Pp. 3. Addressed. Endorsed.

SIR NICHOLAS MALBIE to the EARL OF LEICESTER You shall receive in a joint letter from Mr. Fenton and me to the Council all occurrents in these parts.

"At our arrival here, we met one William McShane Og Burcke, a gentleman of Clanrycard, and one of the greatest patrimony there next to the Earl, and his very near kinsman, who, of his own voluntary will, and unlooked for, did reveal unto me in the hearing of Mr. Fenton that my L. of Ormond is the only man that caused th' Earl's sons to rebel; and after their revolt, when they had given order for the guarding and victualling of the house of Loughreaghe, after they had surprised it from her Majesty, a letter came unto them from my L. of Ormond willing them in anywise to break and raze the house and the rest of the castles in that country; admonishing them that they were not able to keep the castles against her Majesty's forces, which being won from them th' Englishmen would dwell in them, and so by that means would banish them clean."

"Ulicke Burcke th' Earl's son's wife is this gentleman's sister; and because he hath forsaken that lewd life, the Earl's sons have taken all his living from him, and with strong hand withhold it from him, which is a general course held by the Irishry against all such as do adhere unto her Majesty."

This young gentleman, William McShane, is gone from hence about some business. At his return I will take his confession under his hand.

I and Mr. Fenton received letters this day from the Lord Chancellor and Council at Dublin. They have received intelligence from my Lord Deputy that my Lord of Ormond is minded to repair shortly into England. "I do wish also to be there to answer all th' objections he can any way lay against me; and for the rest which I have to produce against him, to stand in so far as the testimony thereof may lead me."

1581.

Vol. 605, p. 64.

493.

1582. [March.] 494. Vol. 607, p. 71.

O'Wrourcke, the only man now in action, is craving for peace. O'Donnell "hath intreated me to license him to deal with O'Ruarcke and submit himself to my order, which, if he shall refuse to do, he hath vowed to me to expulse him out of his country." O'Donnell and O'Connor were the two principal animators of O'Wrourcke to the last rebellion, which now they are sorry for. My late going to O'Donnell to assist him against Tyr. Lenaghe has greatly established him in her Majesty's obedience.

"The repair over of James FitzChristopher Nugent is to be looked unto; his stealing away carried no good intent. These parts of Westmeath stand upon weak joints. The Pope cannot yet be put out of their heads."

Athlone, last of September 1581. Signed.

I have sent your Honour a horse of Garlan's choice.
Holograph. Pp. 3. Addressed. Endorsed.

BARONY of IDRONE.

"A Note of Remembrances concerning the Barony of
Idrone, in the county of Catherloghe.'

It was recovered from the Cavanaghes by Sir Peter Carewe
the elder, after whom Sir Peter Carewe the younger, his
cousin and heir, enjoyed the same, whose brother and heir,
Sir George Carewe, succeeded to it, and sold it to Dudley
Bagnall, whose son and heir is the Queen's ward, and is in
France. The Cavanaghes covertly intend to make suit for it.
Dated by Sir George Carew, "1581."

P. 1. Endorsed.

The EARL OF ORMOND.

"Observations of the Earl of Ormond's government during
his being L. General in the province of Munster, and
the success of the same."

(1.) The Earl of Desmond being proclaimed traitor, the
government of Munster was committed to Ormond as Lord
General; and Sir William Pelham, then Lord Justice, having
present occasion to repair into Connaught for settling troubles
there, the Lord General retired to his own house, where he
remained one month or six weeks without prosecuting the
rebels.

(2.) Desmond in his absence grew so strong and bold that he presumed to send to the town of Cork very seditious letters, and Ormond let the messenger go without punishment.

(3.) When Desmond sacked the town of Youghill his Lordship was at his house of the Carick, not above sixteen miles distant, with the Queen's forces.

(4.) Notwithstanding letters from the commissioners at Cork, and from the Mayor of Yougholl, the Lord General did not relieve the town with men or munition, "saving only by

1582.

sending one Nick White with 20 or 30 men by sea to discover their doings after they had sacked the town, who there with the most part of his little company were foully slain."

(5.) Whereas the only way to distress the rebels was to settle garrisons near them, he spent the most part of his time at Cork and his own house, suffering a great number of soldiers to lie idle in Cork, and retiring to that idle place sundry garrisons that were very aptly placed for annoyance of the enemy by Sir William Pelham.

upon

(6.) "Also his Lp., with his whole family in Cork, spending the Queen's store, and nevertheless cesse upon the county of Cork for all his train, being a burthen very intolerable to the poor country, besides the waste of her Majesty's store."

(7.) "His Lp. being allowed by her Majesty an 100 horsemen and one 100 kerne in pay, by report of the English captains had not at any service after his first coming to Cork 20 horsemen in the field of that his own band to serve, and very few of those his kerne."

(8.) "The only attempts his Lp. made of service was done by running camps, utterly without conference with English captains, his own man, Sheath, being his chief director, an ignorant person in any martial doings, and thereafter succeeded his enterprises, wherein he always spoiled a number of English soldiers by excessive travail and frivolous journeys, with very small annoyance of the enemy."

(9.) He suffered Davy Barry, by dallying with him, to spoil and waste all his own castles, which might have been kept for her Majesty's service.

(10.) He discharged Edmund McRuddery, son and heir to the White Knight, being by Theobald Roch, the Lord Roche's second son, accused of sundry treasons in the presence of the Lord General.

(11.) "A serviceable spy being committed to the L. General, of trust to do service, was by Davie Barry taken and hanged for certain words privately spoken by this said spy to the Lord General."

(12.) He set at liberty a chief messenger of the traitor seneschal of Imokilly, taken by Theobald Roch.

(13.) He discharged sundry persons accused of treason by John FitzEdmownd.

(14.) He also discharged McCawnley, a chieftain, imprisoned for treason, without trial, and took of him for his discharge 120 kine, as Sir Thomas of Desmond offereth to prove.

(15.) "The Lady Roche, wife to the Viscount Roche, being accused of treason, and the treason proved on her, was by his Lp. travail to the Lord Deputy delivered upon sureties for her forthcoming, and for the same I think it will be proved the Lord General took 2001."

* Removing?

1582.

May 28.

Vol. 607, p. 88.

495.

(16.) "Where two choice persons were entertained for the killing of the traitor Seneschal, and had undertaken the same, the matter not being revealed to any by the persons that entertained them, saving only to the Earl of Ormond, these executioners were no sooner arrived at the camp but they were apprehended by the Seneschal and charged with the practice, and for the same executed, to the great grief of the persons that entertained them."

(17.) "Let Captain Bartley and Captain Rauley* be examined of words privately uttered by the Lord General touching the prosecution of the traitors."

Persons to prove these Articles :-Sir George Bowcer, Sir William Morgan, Captain Bartley, Captain Rawley, Captain Apsley, Justice Meugh, the Mayor and Aldermen of Cork, the Commissioners of Munster, the Aldermen of Yowgholl, the Captains with his Lp., Sir Warham Sentliger, the Cessors at Cork, Tibald Roch, &c.

Pp. 3.

SIR NICHOLAS MALBIE to the EARL OF LEICESTER. After I had delivered my packet to my Lord Deputy, he found fault with me that I had brought none from your Honour.

I send herewithal a brief discourse how this State standeth. Sir Henry Sydney is the only man that is wished for here by the country people.

Dublin, 28 May 1582. Signed.

Sir Nicholas Bagnall is able to instruct you fully in all things.

Holograph. P. 1. Addressed. Endorsed.

II. PAPER ENCLOSED,

I brought instructions from her Majesty to reduce the soldiers' pay, viz., the footman to 8d. Ir., and the horseman to 9d. Ir. per diem. The Lord Deputy and Council find that except her Majesty shall give 8d. ster. per diem to the footman, and 12d. ster. per diem to the horseman, neither shall the soldier be able to live without cesse of the country, nor the country have any hope to be kept from spoil. With this allowance the soldier will be able to victual himself. The country will give a large contribution towards the same.

Her Majesty's instruction for grant of pardon to be given to such as shall seek for it, especially in the Pale, was a thing most welcome. Divers stood doubtful of their safeties, because every man was subject to the accusation of bad witnesses.

"Where her Majesty doth mind to make profit of the attainted lands, there is such doubt grown generally of con

* Sir Walter Raleigh.

1582.

veyances made before the attainder, as no man dare deal for that land, except it be established to her Majesty by a parliament."

Captain Mackworth was betrayed and murdered by the O'Conors, who "are very many, and likely to do great hurt if they be not well followed, which the L. Deputy now taketh in hand. The Earl of Desmond is very strong. The Lord Fitz Morice, of Kerye, hath broken all his castles, and hath joined with him. A bruit also is spread that the White Knight is revolted, but not certainly known. His son is in Spain, which breedeth suspicion that if he be out the rebels expect foreign aid, for so they give it out still."

"Tirloghe Lenoughe standeth upon good terms, and expecteth Captain Piers his return with his business. It is advertised he practiseth with Scotland.

66

Connaught is well, saving lately that McWilliam sending his officers with some of my horsemen to Richard McOlyverus, brother to the last McWilliam, deceased, and to the sons of the said McWilliam to receive her Majesty's rents in arrear, which was delivered unto them by the country for her Majesty, the said Richard McOliverus and his said nephews quarreled with the officers and slew some of them, and three of my horsemen. Whereupon McWilliam, taking the matter in grief, entered their country and slew a son of Richard McOlyverus, and a son of Edmond Burke of Castle Barr, and 20 more; certifying Captain Brabazon, that if he thought not that revenge enough, he would prosecute them more; upon which revenge Richard McOlyverus and his nephews put themselves in arms against her Majesty. McWilliam sent to Captain Brabazon to draw down towards him with his forces, who, calling the chief gent' of the province to him, was also advised by them to make head against the others in time; and so most willingly of themselves, with their forces, accompanied him."

Captain Brabazon hath but 100 English footmen and 60 horsemen, and about 800 others, "all gentlemen of the country and their rising out." It is given out that the evil dealing with the country people is the cause of their revolt; but I have used this Richard McOlyverus and his nephews in better sort than any. It is written to me that they are very well chastised already. At my coming thither all things shall be well compounded with them.

"The Earl of Clanricard stayed at Chester to take passage there, and is not yet come over. I went to Holyhead to take shipping there, half against the wind, to recover this place. The Earl's sons keep the peace indifferently well; at the coming of their father into these parts I trust they shall do better. Feaughe McHughe and Phelim O'Toole keep the peace very well."