1601. Vol. 624, p. 35. Jan. 3. Vol. 604, p. 127. 2. one thousand there, but that Sir Oliver St. Jhons urged the use we might have of them here. I writ unto your Lordship to send unto Athlone Sir John Barkley's company, which I desire may be presently performed, and if you can that way, some other company with it. Not that I mean to leave them idle in Connaught, but to draw myself to a head that way to hunt the rogue Tirrell out of the country, and to lie between any forces that shall come that way out of the North. "But because I resolve to leave strong garrisons utterly to ruin, as I have well begun, the Birnes and such of the Tooles as shall not show themselves good subjects, and to draw myself towards Offaly for a prosecution there, I desire your Lordship presently to cause the 1,000 men you can spare me to draw to some place or places near the borders, from whence they may speedily come when I shall send for them, which I think shall be very shortly. "I think it fittest that of them you send such companies as have their captains here. But one thing I must desire of you, how unpleasing it will be unto you 1 fear me, that you will spare for a time Captain Greames, and, if it be possible, his company of horse; for I find him so necessary an instrument for the war of Leinster which we have now on foot, that I may by no means spare him. I am absolutely denied my leave to return for England, though with some better encouragement than they were wont to give me. "While I am here I will labour to despatch the business, that I may be despatched from the country; from whence God send us an honorable and a happy deliverance, and to meet merrily in England. For the casting of 50 of your company, I dealt therein no otherwise with you than with myself, and therefore I presumed you would not mislike it. For the manner, I will reform it according to your desire. "I have already written to Tibbott ne Longe (Burke) to answer the murder of Dermont, and I have stayed his entertainment and do think to cast him. He did write to me as requiring some great reward for the service. . . "I protest I am as glad of your good success as of my own... I have played the Lord of Misrule in these parts this Christmas, and if the water had not besieged me, I had utterly ruined them. But I hope to leave them little better.. "From the camp amongst the rocks, and the woods in these devils' country, this 1st of January 1600.” Holograph. Pp. 2. Addressed. Endorsed. 2. Copy. SIR ROBERT CECIL to SIR GEORGE CAREW. My Lords write to you concerning this gentleman, Mr. Coursye, "to whom though her Majesty hath not yet granted the benefit of the Intrusion, yet I am persuaded that upon the 1601. Jan. 13. Vol. 620, p. 47. 3. next advertisement that comes from you in answer of my Lords' SIR G. CAREW to the PRIVY COUNCIL. I again beseech you to procure the general pardon for the provincials of Munster, "being a special means for the settling of this disturbed province, infected throughout with a settled hatred both unto her Majesty herself, her government, and our nation, which well appears by the underhand relieving of James McThomas, who is harboured amongst the men of best quality that are in Munster, insomuch as I find it impossible to have any draught to be drawn upon him without foreknowledge whereby he may make an escape. His relievers are not hidden from me, for of all their doings I have intelligence, but yet because the error is universal, and especially amongst these of greatest quality which were never in personal action, I dare not.. take or arrest any of these great men offenders, lest the staying of one should breed fear in the rest, and what may ensue thereupon I am doubtful; and to take them all at an instant is exceeding difficult and not without great danger of the sequel, for . . in this last general revolt.. I do not know of any one man of quality in Munster, who was not bound by his oath upon the sacrament to assist the rebellion. Those which were not personally out, yet their dependants and followers were in action and themselves gave underhand aid." But after a general pardon, when the fault is not universal, there will be no danger in punishing a particular offence. "The rumours of aids out of Ulster and Connaught doth hold the province more unsettled than otherwise it would be, but.. I still remain confident.. to hold this province with the force which I have from any general revolt; being assured that no Irish aid will be able to move a general defection. Neither yet have I any trust in their helps to give resistance. The best I can expect is neutrality, for against the Catholic cause they are neither willing nor yet dare (for fear of excommunication) be actors. "I have made proffer to the Lord Deputy to lend him 1,000 foot towards the prosecution of the wars in Leinster, humbly beseeching him, for countenance' sake, that they may remain upon my list, to be returned unto me as occasion may be ministered. His answer I have received, who doth expect the same at my hands, and the which (God willing) I will perform. "The late rumour of Spaniards landed in Ireland hath bred a great distraction in this unsettled people, who desire nothing more than their coming, being persuaded very confidently in 1601. the same by a multitude of priests and friars which came in the last ships of munition that came to Tyrone, which is confirmed by other intelligences out of Spain lately received by merchants from thence; whereof your Lordships shall receive with these the copy of a letter sent unto me from the Sovereign of Kynsale." Albeit my list is somewhat abated and part of the forces will be withdrawn by the Lord Deputy, yet because the coming of Ulster and Connaught men or Spaniards, or both, may chance to be true, I pray that the victualling until Michaelmas next may be continued for 3,000 foot and 250 horse as heretofore, "to prevent to want if the forces shall be of necessity continued;" likewise that those men employed by the Lord Deputy "may receive their payment here, to assure the provincials that my list still continueth and are revocable at all times to suppress them." To this, as far as I perceive, my Lord Deputy is willing to yield. I pray you send between this and Easter five lasts of powder with lead and match proportionable, 200 shovels and spades, 500 pickaxes, and 150 crows of iron. Those ordinarily provided at low rates are very defective. Command the officers of the Tower to provide others more substantial. In November last I moved Mr. Secretary Cecyll (in respect there is no safe place in this province where the pledges may be kept which I now have) that the better sort of them might be removed. I pray you write to the Lord Deputy to require me to send them to the Castle of Dublin, where they may be kept without charge, every man being compelled to defray the charges of his own pledge. "Unto this commandment my desire is to be enforced; for it will be very unpleasing to the great lords here, and cast much malice upon me if it were known." . "As I was writing this .. I understood that one of my servants called Edward Clyfton (whom I sent from hence the 22nd of December) is wrecked upon this coast, whereby my packet is miscarried; but my greatest fear is that it should be cast on the shore, and thereby much will lie open which were meet to be covered. . . I have with these sent unto you the copies of those letters." Moallo, 13 January 1600. P.S.-"The paymaster tells me the money is long since disbursed. By want thereof the companies are enforced to lodge in walled towns where the provant victuals is stored; so as, if any occasion were offered (for more than five days) I am not able to carry them into the field; for more than five 1601. Jan. 13. Vol. 615, p. 24. 4. Lordships to procure a privy seal for Munster, and to hasten the treasure hither." "Sent by Edward Clyfton." Copy. Pp. 2. LORD DEPUTY MOUNTJOY to SIR G. CAREW. "When I desired that Sir John Barkeley's company might be sent to him, I looked he should have answered me in a piece of service at my drawing down into Ophaly, that I think would have been very well worth the following, and I know your Lordship would be right glad of. And therefore I cannot but continue still desirous that he might have his company very speedily, in hope that we may yet take hold thereof. "I have besides such use of Captain Greames that I cannot by any means miss him, having no other so skillful in these parts, where in truth his service is of most use, which makes me hold him, though against his will, and would fain have his company here with him, though I send you some other in their place. "And yet I may tell you thus much truly; that by reason of our journeys and ill weather our forces are weaker than you would think, insomuch as conveniently we cannot spare any, but rather stand in need of more. Otherwise I affect not to keep them here, or to draw any of yours from you, but will most willingly help you with some of these when I come near that province, if you have use of them. "I know your absence even for a little time would breed much alteration amongst your provincials, and I love both yourself and the service too well to make you more work than you must needs have. You shall therefore hear from me again before the time of meeting be resolved on, and the place shall be as near you as I can possibly; and if the business were not of very great importance about which I am desirous to speak with you, I would not trouble you at all. "The proviso devised by Mr. Attorney I assure myself hath been put in no pardon for Munster men, for I have only respected your desires for matters of that province, and according thereunto have framed my course, being resolute that you best knew what was fittest; and that course I meant still to observe in pardoning of such as were under your command. Yet now I find myself better strengthened by a letter from her Majesty, whereby I am commanded to pardon those whom you think fit, as by the copy which I send will appear more fully; the benefit whereof I shall be very ready to give you. "I have granted your request for Captain Taaffe for the * This enclosure has been calendared under its proper date, 21 December 1600. 1601. Vol. 624, p. 38. Jan. 19. Vol. 620, p. 49. 5. 25 horse that Captain Gifford had, and have made warrant for his entry the next day after Gifford's death, as you desired." From the camp at Ballemurgheroe, 13 January 1600. Signed. P.S. in Mountjoy's own hand.-"Your Lordship shall very shortly hear from me again. In the mean time I hope we shall keep the Northern forces from you, and Mr. Tirrell, if I be not deceived, shall have little leisure to assist others. If your Lordship do not assure yourself that it will be much to the prejudice of the service in Munster, I pray let some of your troop be in readiness for these parts, for, God willing, I intend a present and thorough prosecution in Leinster." Pp. 2. Addressed. Endorsed. 2. Copy. SIR G. CAREW and the COUNCIL OF MUNSTER to the "In November last I the President was at Lymerick, at which time a soldier was imprisoned by Geoffrey Gallwaye, mayor of Lymerick, for some supposed petty larceny of a hatchet. Whereupon I sent unto the mayor to enlarge the said soldier, and send him unto me, and afterward by two several warrants from me and the Council. All which the said mayor (the rather by confederacy and council of his brethren) utterly rejected, saying the authority given them by their charter did sufficiently excuse him from the jurisdiction and commandment of the State of this province; and yet presently upon my departure from Lymerick.. enlarged him. Which indignity, so arrogantly offered, I had at that time no leisure to reform or repel; for that.. the rebel with . . some 2,000 or more were said by the said mayor's intelligence to be entered into the confines of the province; whither I repaired to go and meet them. . . "About the 13th of this present month the said Geoffrey Gallwaye was convented before us to answer to the said contempt, who appeared personally, and to an information for her Majesty exhibited against him first answered by a pretended justification, and afterward put himself upon the grace of the court. And thereupon, . . his offence being committed.. amongst a people apt to embrace such a precedent, . . and at such a time when the enemy with a great strength was reported to have entered the territories of this province, we fined him at 400l. sterling, which we thought with the least, for that the citizens, being partakers of this disobedience, are like to bear the charge of the said fine; and we purpose the same fine shall be employed in the repairing and fortifying of her Majesty's castle of that city.. Where, in the knowledge of me the Chief Justice, the mayor and aldermen and divers others the citizens of Lymerick |