Pacata Hibernia Ireland appeased and reduced· Or, an historie of the late vvarres of Ireland, especially within the province of Mounster, vnder the government of Sir George Carew, Knight, then Lord President of that province, and afterwards Lord Carevv of Clopton, and Earle of Totnes, &c. VVherein the siedge of Kinsale, the defeat of the Earle of Tyrone, and his armie; the expulsion and sending home of Don Iuan de Aguila, the Spanish generall, with his forces; and many other remarkeable passages of that time are related. Illustrated with seventeene severall mappes, for the better understanding of the storie.

CHAP. XVII.

A Letter from Cormocke Mac Dermond unto Tyron••. The Abbey of Rat••o burned, and fourti•• of the Bonoghs slaine. One thousand Bonoghs levied by Flo∣rence Mac Cartie. Connaght and Vlster men change their Resolution, for the in∣vading of Mounster, and th•• cause why. Dermond O Conner m••rdered by Theobald ne Long Burke. A 〈◊〉〈◊〉 f••••m the Ea••le of Clanrika••d to Theo∣bald ne Long.

A Letter from Cormock Mac Dermond unto Tyrone.

I Haue received your Letter of the twentieth of September, and doe thanke you for the great trust you repose in mee, which by the helpe of God shall bee by mee discharged to the uttermost of my power; But the English haue (in these parts) so much prevayled (by the sinister false dea∣ling of the Connaght men) as the President hath taken Pledges of most of the Gentlemen, and men of power in these parts. And besides, wee are so weake in men, as that wee are out of neces∣sitie constrained to yeeld to the yoke of the English Heretiques, from the which wee pray God to deliver us, according to our hearts desire; and therefore doe hope you will beare with our present ne∣cessities, being ready at all times to obey your directions, when you shall bee able to send us helpe; but because that we shall neither de∣ceiue you or our selues, we doe pray you to send us word, what num∣bers you will send us, and by what time, that accordingly wee may make our selues ready, to giue you our best assistance: But of one thing I thinke good to giue you particular notice, which is, not to put any confidence in any of Mounster, of the English Nation; for whatsoever they professe or protest unto you, they meane not to deale faithfully with us, but will forsake us in our greatest need. The newe•• of these parts are, that the Sonne of Geralt the late Earle is ar∣rived, unto whom, his Fathers old Followers doe much resort; hee is an Heretike, yet neverthelesse (by the helpe of the English) he will doe us great harme: The right Earle of Desmond is forsaken of all men, and not able to make Head, and the lesse hope of his rising a∣gaine by the comming of young Iames, who is the Queenes Earle, and hath a Patent for his Earledome; I pray your speedy Answer; in the meane time, I will dissemble with the President, who deales sharpely with us; the Letter which you sent with these to Mac Carty More, I haue sent unto him by a Messenger of my owne, who is

lately agreed with the President, and so we are deceived in him, and therefore he is not to be firmely trusted with the commandement of all the Clan-Carties.

Cormocke Cartie.

Sir Charles Wilmot (in the meane time) ma••ching to an Abbey in Kerry called Ratho,* 1.1 neere unto Lixnaw, assoone as his Colours were descried, was fired by the Enemy that lodged there; from thence with his Horse onely he marched ••o Tralie, where hee found one hundred Bonoghs of the O••••••llies, among whom was Moriertagh Mac Shighie, and three or foure more of the lurking Earles chiefest Followers on horsebacke; our Horse charged them, the Horsemen (by flight) saved themselues, but of the ••oo••e there was slaine about fourtie dead in the place, the rest by the ••avour of a neighbo••ring bogge, and the Mountaine at hand escaped, but all their Armes were left to our shares.

The perpetuall juggling which Florenc•• Mac Cartie continued to∣wards the Lord President,* 1.2 I haue so often touched as it needs no other proofe; but for the better Testimonie of his ill ••ffection to the State, even now when the Sugan Earle was in the estate of a fugitiue, hi∣ding himselfe from the sight of men, Florence (as the Lord Presi∣dent was advertised from Sir Charles Wilmot) had raysed one thou∣sand Bownoghs to bee placed upon Desmond, foure hundred u••on Kerry, and sixe hundred upon Carbry, and concludes with these words: Viz. assuredly hee purposeth to bee a Villaine, though hee could be contented to liue in neutralitie, as he doth, if he could cary it cleanely: Also at that time the Baron of Lixnaw (who was bani∣shed Kerry) was by him relieved in Desmond; but obserue well I beseech you this wavering and unsetled companion, who not know∣ing which way either to be a Subject or Rebell, not many dayes af∣terwards (as shall bee said) came to the President, with a smooth countenance full of Loyaltie, but inwardly the same man hee had ever beene.

Nothing was more common now in Mounster,* 1.3 then a bruite of the strangers from Connaght and Vlster, comming to invade the Province with two thousand men, and hereof the President received daily advertisement from the Earle of Thomond, the Lord Barry, Iustice Comerford and others; and to verifie the same, Pierce Lacy was come into the borders of Kilquig, and had preyed Glanogre, a Towne belonging to Sir George Bourchier, Master of the Ordnance, being a parcell of his Signiory, and then in farme to Alexander Fit∣ton; this caused the President to assemble the greatest part of his For∣ces

to Kilmallock, attending there to behold what should become of this Cloud which threatned such a dangerous Tempest, which at length vanished without any great disturbance; for about the midst of this Moneth, they withd••••w themselues into Ormond, within the Libertie of Tipperarie; the cause why they departed, before they had made any Bonfiers in Mounster (which was their arrand) as I haue since learned, was two fould. First because Redmond Burke could by no meanes bee drawen into the Province, being in expecta∣tion of great favour from the President, as appeareth by his Letters sent about this time, which because it is but short, and yet apparantly declareth this truth; I thought not unfit here to bee recited in his owne words.

RIght Honourable, I would long ere this be a Subject, and will now shew my selfe worthy to be accepted, if I be entertained, and my Fathers Lands seized into your Honours hands, till my Title bee tried; this Countrey of Ely O Carrell being in your Ho∣nours Province, is a parcell whereto I make claime, wherein I would expect your Honour to right me first; and thus requesting your Ho∣nour to accept my service, and favour my right, I take leaue

this ninth of November, 1600.

Your Honours as you please, Redmond Letrim.

The President, to hold Redmond (as I conceiue) in some hope, that hee might not joyne with the Northerne Forces (then expected to come into Mounster,) returned him answer to this effect, That his Demaunds seemed to bee somewhat reasonable, and that hee was very sorry, that it was not fully in his power to accomplish his request; Notwithstanding there was no doubt, but upon his Let∣ters already dispatched to the Councell of England, and to the Lord Deputie in his behalfe, such order should bee taken, as hee should hold himselfe well satisfied; and surely whether the President dealt plainely, and bona fide vvith the said Redmond, or whether hee fed him vvith good vvords onely (like a Courtier) to serue his owne turne, (I know not;) but if I might deliver my poore opinion, I thinke him to haue received some hard measure, (I meane in re∣spect of his Fathers Lands, upon whomsoever the fault lyeth; but to returne.

This Redmond commanding the greatest part of the Forces now assembled, depending this much upon the Presidents favour, (as by

his Letter appeareth) could by no allurements of these Mounster Re∣bels, bee inticed to commit any outrage within that Province: An o∣ther cause why these Rebels thus assembled came no further up into Mounster, was, because the wandring Earle Iames fits Thomas, who should haue given them Bonnaght in the Province, knowing that Lixnaw, Redmond Burke, Pierce Lacie, and all of them were growen wearie of the Rebellion, and that the President had commerce with all those, durst not commit himselfe into their power, they be∣ing so strong, and hee so poore and weake, fearing left they should haue delivered him, (being the marke the President chiefly aymed at) to worke their owne peace.

Dermond O Conner* 2.1 having now heard that the young Earle of Desmond (his Brother in law) was arrived in Mounster (according to the Presidents promise to him made, that he should come) was desirous that hee should repaire thither, with intent to doe some ac∣ceptable service for her Majestie; which being made knowen by the Lady Margaret his wife, the Lord President sent him a Safe-con∣duct for himselfe and his followers, and procured the like from Sir Arthur Sa••age, the chiefe Commissioner in Connaght, and also from the Earle of Clanrickard, to secure his passage through his Coun∣trey, and for his better safetie, he sent an hundred Foot to guard him as soone as hee should enter into Thomond: Hee being now past Clanrickard, and comming to Oshafnesses Countrey, within seven∣teene or eighteene miles of Limerick, Theobald ne Long Burke, who had a Company of an hundred Foot in her Majesties pay, (notwith∣standing all his Safe-guards) assaulted him, who for his safetie, reti∣red into an olde Church, burnt it over his head, and in comming foorth of the same, hee killed about fourtie of his men, and tooke him prisoner, and the morning following cut off his head: which being done, Theobald sent to the Earle of Clanrickard for a protecti∣on, pretending that what he did, was done in rev••nge of his Cousen the Lord Burkes death: But the Earle misliking the Action, in stead of a Protection, returned him this Letter insuing.

A Letter from the Earle of Clanrickard, to Theobald ne Long Burke.

I Doe understand that you haue yesternight assaulted Dermond O Conner and his Company, which is both a very mighty impeach∣ment of Her Majesties word, in respect the Gentleman had her gratious Protection and safe Conduct, from the Lord President of Mounster, and the Governour of this Province, for his safe passing, and a perpetuall slaunder and abuse unto me and my posteritie, con∣sidering

the Gentleman was ceased in my Countrie, and had my word at my very good Lord, the Lord President of Mounsters re∣quest, and the Governour of this Provinces direction, which I little expected to bee by you resisted, but rather imagined your comming into the Countrie, to doe better service upon Her Majesties enemies, which are daily threatning to come for us on all sides. But if in lieu thereof your service bee to murther a Gentleman that is drawen for good considerations, tending the advan••ement of Her Majesties ser∣vice, contemne her gratious protection which he hath, and offer the Lord President of Mounster, the Governour of this Province, and my selfe, the mightiest wrong and abuse that may be, I take it, such a coruse as I doe not doubt, your selfe and your house to bee thereby e∣ver overthrowne, and everlastingly liue hopelesse of any favour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 kindnesse of me, except you take such apt and present course, as to send the Gentleman unto me released, and all the rest of his people, as many as you haue in hand of them, with a full restitution of their goods; otherwayes thinke of me as the greatest Enemy you haue in this world, which with the permission of God, I will make you and yours feele, if you urge me thereunto; and so expecting to see the Gentleman from you with expedition without hurt, I leaue Doiehoway the foure and twentieth of October, 1600.

Your very loving Kinseman if you will, Vlick Clanrickard.

Whilest Dermond was in Rebellion, hee received no prejudice by Theobald ne Long; but now (being as hee knew) a man fast lincked to the State, and able to performe extraordinary service, he is trea∣cherously murdered to the great dishonour of Her Majestie, in viola∣ting Her word, solemnely and advisedly given: The Lord Presi∣dent was exceedingly incensed, against the Actors, Abettors and Procurers of this murder; writing his Letter both to the Lords of Her Majesties privie Councell in England, and also to the Lord De∣putie, and Councell of Ireland, signifying how much Her Majesties honour was blemished and the Service hindred, by this malitious and hatefull murther; who considering of the fact, besides sharpe rebukes and reprehensions, the Lord Deputie was commanded pre∣sently to casheere and discharge him both of his Command and En∣tertainement.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Abbey of Ratho burned, and fourtie of the Bownoghs slaine by Sir Charles Wilmot.
• * 1.2

  A thousand Bownoghs levied by Florence Mac Carty.
• * 1.3

  Connaght and Vlster men being ready to in∣vade Moun∣ster sudden∣ly brake their resolu∣tion▪ and the cause why.
• * 2.1

  Dermond O Conner murdered by Theobald ne Long Burke.