success. sincerity, in making or keeping treaties, more than that of his adversaries? In the whole course of Irish history, breach of faith much oftener occurs on the side of the invaders than of the natives. Inferior in force, they had recourse to stratagem, often to fraud and perfidy. Conscious of the perfidious machinations of his enemies, Tyrone, during the suspension of hostilities, ceased not to exercise his men, and maintain correspondence with his allies. Every day gave him additional strength, and fairer prospects of Nevertheless sensible, that, pending the foreign wars in which Elizabeth was engaged, the terms of an honorable peace could be more easily obtained, than after a general peace on the continent, he agreed to the pacific conference, but on such conditions as might assure performance of articles. The want of a reasonable security for the performance of articles he urged, from the facts, which Leland, with his usual insincerity, calls recurring to his old pretences. These were, frequent breach of promise on the part of the English government. That his hostages had not been exchanged, according to agreement; nor restitution made for the ravages committed on his lands. That he had but little hope of the performance of any articles; as he had been so often deceived by the queen's officers. That the intentions of the lord general were indeed just and honorable, but had been counteracted by the deputy; and, as Norris was speedily to be recalled from his command, and the grievances of the northerns were to be sub mitted to a new governor, whose principles and character were utterly unknown, he had less reason to expect an equitable conclusion. That he could not, with safety, nor with honor, attend the commissioners, within any walled town or castle, from the notorious design of abusing his confidence, if ever he put himself in their power, and detain him prisoner, in defiance of protections and promises.* O'Neil had ample reasons for declining a conference within a walled town, by the testimony of his enemies, and their writers. Yet, unmindful of what he wrote a few pages before, Leland insinuates the contrary, imputing his conduct, on that occasion, to dissimulating craft. "He condescended, however, to propose a time of conference, which he well knew could not be accepted, provided it were held contrary to the queen's express orders, in the open field, as a parley, not in a walled town, as a submission of rebellious subjects." With what varnish does the Dr. strive to disguise the truth which he well knew? He well knew what anger the queen and her council testified to deputy Russel, for suffering O'Neil so easily to escape out of his hands, at a time * Bagnal so far prevailed, that it became a question, whether he should not be committed to custody. Russel declared for this measure....Tyrone was dismissed, to con cert new mischief, to the utter dissatisfaction of the queen's English ministers.-Lel. Eliz. c. iv. p. 331. The queen was much displeased, that her commands with respect to Tyrone were not executed; and the lords of the English council sharply rebuked the deputy, for having so easily suffered him to escape out of his hands.-Morryson's Hist. when he waited on him in Dublin with an assurance of safety, to confer amicably on matters of state. He well knew, even from the partial Morrison, the extreme desire of Bess and her ministry, to get possession of his person by any means, not excepting breach of faith, perjury, or if there be any thing worse. He was not ignorant, that the queen's express orders, for offering a conference, only in some walled town, were given, with a view, if possible, to inveigle him into captivity, and dispatch him; like Brien Roe O'Brien, invited to a banquet by De Clare, and there murdered, as intended; like O'Neil, of Clan-Hugh-boy, invited, from the same hellish motive, and massacred amidst his attendants, after Judas professions of esteem, and treacherous civilities of mock hospitality. Like the four hundred O'Moores, invited to a pacific conference, at Mullahmaisteen, there perfidiously massacred. Like the five brothers of the earl of Kildare, invited to dine with the deputy, sent prisoners from his table to the tower of London, hanged, quartered and gibbeted. Like the many attempts made on himself, by the queen and her ministry. He was not deceived in his conjectures of a speedy change in the queen's Irish government. The English government, astonished at the little progress made by a general of such renown as Norris, with such means as they deemed more than sufficient, in the reduction of a people, whom they were habituated to view as undisciplined, disunited, and destitute of the resources of mo dern war. The ill success of the conferences, the general was directed to hold with Tyrone, in order to seize by stratagem, whom he could not conquer by force of arms, was peculiarly mortifying to a vindictive and sanguinary tyrant. Through the influence of the earl of Essex, rival and enemy of Norris, lord Burgh was appointed deputy; who, on his arrival, ordered Norris to depart to his government of Munster, where he sunk under the anguish of disgrace, in the arms of his brother. The new deputy was resolved to prosecute the war with vigour; yet there was a month's cessation of arms with Tyrone, which both employed in preparations for the campaign. Burgh marched northwards, with his forces, attended by the lords of the Pale, and their followers, ordering Sir Conyers Clifford to march his forces through Connaught, and meet him at the fort of Blackwater. O'Nial lay with his main body entrenched near the town of Armagh. He sent notice to his allies in Connaught, to oppose the progress of Clifford. Tirrell, a kinsman, of the southern Hy-Niall, he sent with five hundred horse, to encourage his allies in Leinster to make a diversion. The first commencement of hostilities seemed to augur well to the cause of Ireland. A son of lord Trimbleston was sent, with a detachment of a thousand horse, to attack Tirrell. But the ability of the leader compensated the deficiency of his numbers. He He gave the Anglicans a total defeat, and sent their commander prisoner to O'Nial. Clifford was arrested in his progress through Connaught, compelled to retreat, and harassed, with considerable loss, until he took refuge in a fortress. Burgh, nevertheless, marched forward, and attacked the northern army in their entrenchments. The defence was obstinate; but the superiority of the Anglo-Irish forces, in the implements of modern warfare, procured them success. They fought their way to the fort of Blackwater, and took it. Having therein placed a garrison, the deputy resolved to pierce to Dungannon, the chief residence of O'Nial. He was again vigorously attacked; nor was he able to repel the assailants without loss and danger. On his march he met them again, advantageously posted in defiles, determined to dispute his passage. By the sudden death of lord Burgh, the command devolved on the earl of Kildare, who thought it most prudent to keep on the defensive. Nor did he long survive his predecessor. "His two foster-brothers had fallen, in rescuing him from the enemy; and such was his sense of their fidelity, that he pined with grief, and died lamenting their fall." (Lel.) How theatrical the description! Two generals die suddenly, one after the other, at the head of their forces, on the field of battle. One died, we are not told why, the other died of grief! Might he not have received a wound, when his fosterbrothers died fighting by his side, attempting his rescue? What a pity we cannot obtain more accurate details of a campaign, which can be proved to have terminated favourably to the Irish, even from the forged narratives of scan |