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1579.

Dec. 26.
Vol. 597, p. 163a.

Dec. 26.
Vol. 597, p. 164a.

226.

227.

Earl of Desmond. Nevertheless I will frame myself to repair
thither with all expedition, and divide the forces.

Dublin, 26 December 1579. Signed.
Contemp. copy. P. 1.

PELHAM to the EARL OF WARWICK.

Having received confirmation of her Majesty's mislike, I beseech you to procure that I may leave this place.

Ormond has made an honorable journey, and taken oaths and pledges of the Irishry. On his return he licensed most of the captains to repair hither for money. The rebels kept themselves in Kerrie and Coneloughe, without doing any great hurt.

Dublin, 26 December 1579. Signed.
Contemp. copy. P. 1.

PELHAM to the EARL OF LEICESTER.

Your letter shows me the cause of her Majesty's displeasure towards me. I hope I have acquitted myself by a true and dutiful answer. "What English forces I left there, how planted either to offend or to defend, and how easily to be gathered together in an hour's warning, and to have marched over Desmond's back and his belly, though my Lo. of Ormond had been present or absent, your Lo. will judge, if, by view of the plot, you will consider of the places of their garrisons.'

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"I could have been contented to have attended the service, if the actions northward had not been such as required my presence upon that border. The stirs then being in Connaught craved also Sir Nicholas Malbie's return to his charge, which disorder I doubt not was the sooner appeased by my marching through that province. And it had been small help to Youghall to have had my Lord of Ormond stayed at Limerick; for though I could have wished that he had continued in the field if his preparation had so served, yet the distance is great between those places. And I am persuaded (since neither my predecessor nor I, with the aids of the Earls of Kildare and Ormond, could not get any espial for reward against the rebels) the traitors, if the Earl of Ormond and I both had been in camp, might have been at Youghall before I could have learned what was become of them; for Barrie, nor Roche, through whose countries he must needs and did pass, did not reveal it to any of the army; neither would they, I think, have done it to the Earl, if he had been there in person. And for the traitorous townsmen, they are not to be pitied, since they were the allurers of the Earl and the rebels thither, drew them over the walls with ropes, and neither made defence nor would be content to have any aid when it was formerly offered."

I think Ormond was well chosen for a general. In his own

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229.

230.

actions against Desmond he has been ever thought a hard
match for him, without aid of her Majesty.

Dublin, 26 December 1579. Signed.
Contemp. copy. Pp. 21.

PELHAM to SECRETARY WILSON.

Your letter of the 10th is full of good advice for a patient toleration of her Majesty's displeasue. I hope that by the good means of my friends her Majesty shall be made partaker of my just excuses, and I speedily discharged from this place. The letters now received from her Majesty, ordering my repair into Munster, do but confirm in me that which before I had determined. A way is devised for Nathaniel Dillon's satisfaction from my Lady of Thame, but till the arrival of Mr. Briskett, I cannot pleasure him in the office as I would. Dublin, 26 December 1579. Signed. Contemp. copy. P. 11.

The LORD JUSTICE and COUNCIL to the LORDS and
GENTLEMEN in MUNSTER.

These are to charge you to hold your forces in readiness at one hour's warning.

Castle of Dublin, 27 December 1579.

Signed at the beginning: William Pelham; at the end: Ad. Dublin., Cust. Sig., Ger. Kildare, Henry Wallop, J. Garvy, Edward Waterhouse.

Addressed to the Earl of Clancare, Viscounts Barrie and Roche, the Lords Fitz Morris, Powre, and Coursie, Sir Cormocke McTeige, Sir Owen McCartie, Sir Owen O'Sulivan, Sir James FitzGarett, the Seneschal of Imokillie, McDonouge. Contemp. copy. P. 1.

LORD JUSTICE PELHAM to the QUEEN.

Answering those brought by Sharpe to the Nurie.

After my last I repaired to the North, where your letters of the 9th came to my hands. I have united the Baron of Dungannon, Turlough Brasiloughe, McMahound, Maguinis, the O'Hanlons, and the O'Neills of the Fuse, to be a body of themselves to withstand Turlough Lenoughe, and to join with the Marshal, who has charge of that border.

The assembly of the nobility and Council to confer upon my departure into Munster, and leaving the Earl of Kildare and others to have charge of the Pale during my absence, is appointed for the last of this month. As the rebels have great scope to wander in between the east and the west sea of Munster, your forces should be divided into two parts.

Concerning the offence conceived against me, your Majesty will see by the plat of Ireland that your forces were planted

1579.

Dec. 28.

Vol. 597, p. 170.

231.

at Limerick, Adare, Crome, Kilmallocke, Loughgere, and Any, to keep the rebels in Connelaughe. By going to Youghall the Earl of Desmond was so bayed in between the rivers of Youghall and Cork, as if but the sheriffs of the counties of Cork and Waterford had joined the power of those two countries, he must have been utterly overthrown.

I confess myself unhappily chosen for a place of such importance. It is commonly spoken here that you will receive Desmond into favour, which will discourage such as have newly forsaken him, by the travail of my Lord of Ormond. I am an humble petitioner to your Majesty not to continue me here in these terms, and to judge of Desmond as a traitor, "that guarded the Pope's ensign with all his own household servants, before the proclamation, in the encounter with Sir Nicholas Malbie, where some of them left their heads; and that in all his skirmishes and outrages since the proclamation crieth Papa abo, which is the Pope above, even above you and your Imperial crown."

Dublin, 28 December 1579.

Signed.

Postscript. The noble young gentleman, Mr. William Norris, is departed this life on Christmas Day, in the morning, at the Newrie.

Contemp. copy. Pp. 5.

PELHAM to the COUNCIL in ENGLAND.

Answering those brought to the Nurie by Sharpe; and sent by Cotton.

I received your letter concerning the appointment of a surveyor of the victuals. Great losses in the beer and biscuit sent from Bristowe. The beef is too dear. These victuals should not be provided in England, but only wheat, meal, butter, cheese, and fish. Some help of corn, especially of beer malt and oat malt, shall be had out of Westmeath. The victuallers at Waterford and Cork are skilful enough, if their training up in the abuses of that office have not made them too expert in making their own profit. I hope to make such choice as her Majesty shall be served with less loss and discommodity. In the meantime I forbear to press it upon Mr. Waterhowse, because he supplieth the place of Secretary to the State. Instead of sending victuals to Cork and Waterford, I pray you send them to Limerick, for the substance of the war must be upon Kerrie and Coneloughe.

By my letters to her Majesty I have declared my late journey northward. The offence conceived against me is so generally known here as to make me unapt for the place which I hold.

I send you two letters, one from the Lord General (Ormond), the other from the Chief Justice of Munster, Justice Walshe, that was sent to examine the sacking of Youghall.

1579.

Dec. 28.

Vol. 597, p. 172.

232.

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"It is a common speech in the West, especially amongst the followers of the Viscounts Barrie and Roche and Sir Cormocke McTeige, that they dare not use any violence unto the rebels, because they doubt that the Earl of Desmond shall have his pardon and protection, as in his former offences." If these people hear of her Majesty's misliking of the proceedings against him, they will be yet more cold. This may take from the Butlers and their faction, who also subscribed the proclamation, all appetite to serve against him.

Dublin, 28 December 1579. Signed.

Contemp. copy. Pp. 41.

The LORD JUSTICE and COUNCIL to the LORDS in
ENGLAND.

Sent by Mr. Cotton.

Upon the breaking up of the camp in Munster after the return of the Earl of Ormond from his late journey, most of the captains were licensed to repair hither, as well for money as for the furniture of their bands with necessaries. This small proportion of treasure is far too short to pay them their due at the ordinary rate of Irish wages; "whereunto the old bands do crave their allowance of one penny ster. by the day for their victualling. And the new bands hope upon 8d. ster. by the day, by promise in England, as they report, and by example of the Berwick soldiers claiming the like, shewing a letter from our very good Lord the Lord Governor of Berwick. The horsemen also claim the accustomed rates of oats, or allowance for them from her Majesty, without which in truth they are no way able to live. And because the former orders taken in England appointing the penny by the day only to 1,070, and the allowance of oats from the country, limited for 300 horse, will not stretch to the satisfying of 200, and the composition of those 1,070 allowances are not answered by the English Pale, but a great part turned over to the desperate of the counties of Kilkenny, Tiporarie, Wextord, and the King's and Queen's Counties, we are desirous to know your Lordships' pleasures how we shall satisfy the captains and soldiers of these their reasonable demands." It is to be wished that all were made sterling pays, rather than Irish. We pray that money and victuals may be sent.

Dublin, 28 December 1579.

:

Signed William Pelham, Ad. Dublin., He. Wallope, J. Garvy, Ed. Watterhous.

Contemp. copy. Pp. 2.

PELHAM to WALSINGHAM.
Sent by Mr. Cotton.

By your letters of the 12th I receive double comfort in the recovery of your health, and the mitigation of her Majesty's displeasure towards me; yet, finding by her second letter a

1579.

Dec. 29.

Vol. 597, p. 174a.

Dec. 31.

Vol. 597, p. 175.

234.

confirmation of her former disliking, I am hardly persuaded of any sudden alteration, or that my friends can prevail against my enemies. Upon the assembly of the Council and nobility here for consultation about my journey, you shall be advertised of our determinations. As for the victualling, provisions shall be made in Westmeath, to be carried upon the Lough and the Shennen to Limerick. The device of Sir Nicholas Malbie for boats to be maintained upon the Lough and that river may stand her Majesty in marvellous great stead for the purpose of victualling.

235.

Mr. William Norris is departed this life. When he was opened, [it was found that] his heart was utterly consumed, his spleen corrupted, his brain mixed with great store of matter. I have bestowed the captainry of part of his charge upon his brother Thomas.

“Ormond hath received letters here even now, and others are come to me, that both he and I have been hardly dealt withal by the L. C. * in discommending the course taken in Munster." He furthered the Earl's appointment more than any other man.

I cannot but marvel at the nomination of Mr. Waterhouse to have the charge of the victuals.

Dublin, 29 December 1579. Signed.
Contemp. copy. Pp. 23.

PELHAM to the LORD CHANCELLOR of IRELAND (SIR
WILLIAM GERRARD).

I think you are not at Court, as I have not received any letters from you in this last paquet, and as I see myself in her Majesty's letters utterly condemned, and have not at Court any friend to defend me. If the cause of my disgrace grow from this, that Ormond was unaptly chosen to be General, I hope you will avow that it was a course intended and promised by the Lord Justice that dead is (Drury), consented to by all the Council here, and subscribed by yourself, and the patent sealed and delivered before your departure. I am now commanded to enter into that action in Munster. If you have disposition to return at all, your presence will be most requisite before I depart westward.

Dublin, 29 December 1579. Signed.
Contemp. copy. P. 1.

PROCLAMATION by the LORD JUSTICE and COUNCIL.

Against the transporting of soldiers, horses, and prohibited wares out of Ireland.

Dated 31 December 1579.

Signed by the Lord Justice and Council.

Contemp. copy. P. 11.

*Lord Chancellor Gerrard.

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