1583. which the rebel lived a small time there, and ran away with wife and children first into Brittany, then into Portugall, lastly to Rome, and got to him the association of that good man Thomas Stukelie." Then departed I from Limerick to Dublin, and was advertised of the Earl of Tomond's revolt and adherence to James Fitz Mores, alleging the cause of his rebellion to be the hard dealing of Sir Edward Fitton, Lord President in Conagh and Tomond. I practised by all peaceable means to appease him, and went to the Queen's house of Laghlyn Bridge, where I sent for the Earl of Ormond, and commissioned him and Mr. Rauf Rugby, then Chief Justice in Conagh, to parle with Tomond. He affirmed that he had done nothing but by Ormond's counsel. I was forced to send forces against Tomond, who was defeated by Sir Edward Fitton at a place called the Shrowre in the confines of Clanrickard and McWilliam Eughter's country, whither came to the aid of Tomond a great many Scots. Teg Mack Morogh O'Breene and Teg Mack Conoghor O'Breene forced the lubber to leave the land and creep into a French bark that lay in the river of Shenen; and so he went into France. I, thus lying in Dublin, long looked for the coming of the Butlers, who at last came, Sir Edmond and Piers, but my pretty and foregrown page would never come at me, notwithstanding the Earl his brother's band. I had the two brothers indicted of high treason, which they humbly and publicly confessed at the bar. Then weighing the great mercy of the Queen's Majesty before mentioned, and her Highness' direction expressed by letters, I stayed any further proceeding with them by ordinary course of law, but detained them in prison. Shortly after this the Earl of Ormond, according to her Majesty's large licence that he might return into England without further leave or passport obtained of me, went thither, pretending his going was to obtain pardon for his brothers. "Then I summoned, according to the laws of that realm and authority granted by letters patents, a Parliament, and before the first day of the session of the same I went northward to Armagh, and there had meeting with Turlo Lenogh, who then brought his wife with him, before mentioned to be in Scotland at the time of my arrival. And truly, Sir, I found her a good counsellor to him, a well willer to peace, and a reverent speaker of the Queen's Majesty. She would still persuade him to content himself to be a subject, and to contain him in all his actions like a loyal subject, alleging many examples of her own country of Scotland, where there was many as great potentates as he was, and her own brother or nephew the Earl of Argyle (I wott not whether, but daughter she was to an Earl of Argyle), who challenged as much jura regalia and other sovereignties as he could, and yet contented themselves to submit their causes to the laws 1583. of the realm, and themselves to the King's pleasure. In truth, Sir, she was a grave, wise, and well-spoken lady both in Scotch, English, and French, and very well mannered. To be short, with him I concluded even as I desired." I then, returning to Dublin, went southward, peaceably keeping sessions in the counties of Kildare, King's County and Queen's County. I went into Upper Ossory and stayed at Kilkenny, where above 60 persons were executed, and many of them of the stoutest of the Butlers' gallowglas. I came to Laghlyn Bridge, where I had before me the principal gentlemen of the county of Washford. Kaer Mackedo O'Moore and Lyssagh Mackedo O'Moore were hanged. Sir Edmond Butler made his escape from the castle of Dublin, and by the help of Hugh Mack Shane's children he was conducted into the county of Kilkenny. Before his escape I had enlarged Piers. He said it was told him that undoubtedly I would kill him. "Now approached the Parliament, in which what acts were made may appear and be extant in the printed book of statutes, of which printing I was the first author, I am sure to the benefit of the subjects of that land." "I caused to plant and inhabit there above forty families of the reformed churches of the Low Countries, flying thence for religion' sake, in one ruinous town called Surds (Swords). And truly (Sir) it would have done any man good to have seen how diligently they wrought, how they reedified the quiet spoiled old castle of the same town and repaired almost all the same, and how godly and cleanly they, their wives, and children lived. They made diaper and ticks for beds, and other good stuff for man's use, and excellent good leather of deer skins, goat and sheep fells, as is made in Southwark." But Sir William Gerrard obtained a licence of her Majesty to transport a number of packs of yarn unwrought, though I had by an Act restrained myself and successors for ever to grant any like licence. I might have had 2,000l. in ready gold, to have opposed the act respecting the custom for wines. During this session the Earl of Klanckar came to me and confessed his rebellion, alleging that Sir Edmond Butler was the cause thereof, in that he reported to him those foolish and frivolous speeches of the Earl of Leicester and me. He submitted himself, goods, lands, and life to her Majesty. "Towards the end of this Parliament came the Ox, I should say Earl of Tomond; having found that he could find nothing in France, but according to his worth suffered to live there without relief, he made such mean to the then Lord Ambassador in France as he obtained of her Majesty over-great grace." He made his submission. I kept him in prison, and his castles warded by my men. "The Earl of Ormond (my professed foe) sometime with clamour, but oftener with whispering, did bitterly backbite 1583. me, saying that brethren were driven by my cruelty to rebel, A third time I took upon me that thankless charge, and departed from the Queen at Dudley Castle, passed the seas, and arrived the 14th of September 1575 as near the city of Dublin as I could safely, for at that time the city was grievously infected, and so was the English Pale, with the pestilence. I went to Tredath and received the sword of the then Deputy.* Taking some order for the government of the English Pale, after conference had with the Earl of Essex for the best possession that I could put him in of his country of Farney, parcel of the attainted lands given to him by her Majesty, I journeyed to Carregfargus, from whence I went through Clandboy, the Glynnes, and into the Rowte. I there had interparlaunce by commissioners with the Scot Sorley Boy, who had defeated a company of the Earl of Essex's regiment, led by Captain John Norreys. His men were commanded by a lieutenant of his, a certain Italian. He was desirous of peace, offering to hold the Glynnes and Rowte of the Queen by rent and service. As I was not well assured of Turlo Lenogh, I made peace with him. He humbly desired to have again the island of Raghlyns, which his ancestors had occupied 140 or 160 years before, wherein the Earl of Essex had planted a garrison. I left Carregfargus in very good quiet, intending to go to Dublin, but by that time I came to the Newry, Sir Nicholas Bagnall's house, Turlo Lenogh sent a trusty agent to desire me that I would come to Armagh, where he and the lady his wife would meet me. Albeit I heard the Earl of Desmond was grown somewhat insolent, I went to Armagh, where the former peace was ratified. Turlo desired to be nobilitated by the title of an Earl, and to hold his land of the Queen by rent and service. The Scots craved to enjoy their lands, and to yield rent and service; "the lady, Turlo's wife, as earnestly sueing that she might have the same lands assured to her children, which she had by James MacKonnell,† Sorley's eldest brother, and would give more for it than he would." I settled the Mack Gwillims of the Rowte in their country. Within one month after Turlo killed a great number of Sorley's men and his eldest son. I then journeyed towards Dublin, doing justice in the counties of Louth and Meath. From Dublin I wrote of my proceedings. Turlo was thought too base to receive such *Sir William Fitz Williams. "McDonnell" in the margin. 1583. nobilitation; and it was deemed too dangerous to grant the Scots plantation in Ireland. Albeit it was in the deep of winter I travelled towards Cork, keeping sessions in the counties of Kildare, Carlo, King's County and Queen's County. From thence I went to Waterford. In that county I had constituted an Englishman to be sheriff. I went to Dungarvon, where then ruled Harry Davells, and took order for the fortifying of the town. From thence I went to Lessmore and Lessfynen, where at that time dwelt Sir John of Desmond, then in all appearance a good and loyal subject. At Cork I lay from Christmas till CandleI was well entertained at the Viscount Barrie's house, called Barrie's Court. The people of the city said there was never such a Christmas kept in the same; for there were with me the Earl of Desmond, the Earl of Klankar, the Viscount Barrie, the Viscount Roch, and many others. They were willing to live under English law, and to bear soldiers. The Seneschal of Imokelly, a Garraudyne, boasted that he would keep his strong castle of Ballymarter against me, which I besieged and took. The cannonier, old Thomas Eliott, (now a suitor at the Court) was stricked through the thigh. There I left a ward, which continued long after, and went back again to Cork. From thence I went to the Viscount Roche's, and from thence to Kilmallock. The best and principallest gentlemen of those parts submitted to my taxation for bearing of soldiers. Thither came "3 or 4 bishops of the provinces of Cashell and Thewme (Tuam), which bishops (albeit they were Papists) submitted themselves unto the Queen's Majesty and unto me, her Deputy, acknowledging that they held all their temporal patrimony of the Queen's Majesty, and desired humbly that they might (by her Highness) be inducted into their ecclesiastical prelacy. Here was some hold between the bishops and me, too long here to be recited, for they stood still upon Salvo suo ordine, &c., and I of the Queen's absolute authority." This done I went into Tomond, where the Earl met me. "I there subdued a rebellious race of the sirname of the Earl, the O'Breens. Their captains were called the Bishop's sons* ; and indeed the bastards they were [of] the Bishop of Kilallowe,† which Bishop was son to an O'Breen, captain of Tomond. Of these wicked generation, some I killed, some I hanged by order of law, but all I subdued." O'Shaghne's country was all in garboil and violent wars, the captain whereof I settled in his due room. I then went to Gallowey, in the way to which met me the Earl of Clanricard. All the potentates of Connaught came to me with most humble submission. The Earl of Clanricard caused his two most bad and rebellious sons, Ulick and John, *Mac Anaspig" in the margin. † Maurice O'Brien. 1583. to come to me with humble submission. "I committed them, and in the chief church of the town had a sermon preached of them and of their wickedness by a countryman of their own, called Linch, sometimes a friar at Greenwich, but a reformed man, a good divine and preacher in the three tongues, Irish, English, and Latin. The young men publicly in the church I rebuked very sharply, and they as humbly submitted, and again to prison I committed them." I then departed from Galway. I was convited by the Earl of Clanricard to his house of Balie Logh Reogh, still leading with me his two sons as prisoners in my marshal's ward. I offered to make him Governor of Connaught if he would suppress the extortion of coyne and livery, but he would not accept it. I returned to Dublin, and licensed his sons to dwell with their friends, provided that they should never pass the Shenen or come into Conunaght. I had not been long at Dublin, but I heard of some disorders by the Cavenaghes, and some of the good county of Washford. Having gone one day's journey southward, I was credibly advertised of the revolt of the two young Clanricardines. "Albeit they were mortal enemies (though brethren), yet in odium tertiæ, nempe, the Queen, and English government, they conjured and joined in actual rebellion, shaking off and cutting in pieces their English garments upon the river of Shenen, saying that those should be their pledge for the remaining by East Shenen." They went to Balieaurhie, where was the sepulture of their fathers, and the natural mother of the same John buried; the chief church of which town they most violently burned. I had there some workmen whom they killed; and, indeed, I had begun some fortification there. Thus advertised, I directed iny course from the south into the west, and was there before they looked for me. I went to the Earl of Clanricard's chief house, and took it and him. I proclaimed the sons traitors and rebels, detained the father, and planted there Thomas Le Strainge and Captain Collier with 250 men. I sent for the Earl's followers to come to me to Gallowey. "There came to me also a most famous feminine sea captain called Grany Imallye, and offered her service unto me wheresoever I would command her, with three galleys and 200 fighting men either in Ireland or Scotland; she brought with her her husband, for she was as well by sea as by land more than Mrs. Mate with him; he was of the nether Burkes, and now as I hear Mack William Euter, and called by nickname Richard in Iron. This was a notorious woman in all the coast of Ireland. This woman did Sir Philip Sydney see and speak withal; he can more at large inform you of her. "Here heard we first of th' extreme and hopeless sickness of the Earl of Essex, by whom Sir Philip being often most |
