Hibernia anglicana, or, The history of Ireland, from the conquest thereof by the English, to this present time with an introductory discourse touching the ancient state of that kingdom and a new and exact map of the same / by Richard Cox ...

THE REIGN OF MARY QUEEN OF England, France, AND IRELAND. (Book Mary)

MARY,* 1.1 eldest Sister of the deceased King, notwithstanding King Edward's Will, and all the Endeavours that were used against her, did succeed her Brother in the Throne; and although she was Kept out of Possession by the Lady Jane about twelve Days, so that she was not proclaimed at London until the nineteenth Day of July: Yet there being no Interregnum in England, her Reign must be computed from the sixth of July, being the Day of her Brother's Death.

It may seem strange, That the Protestants did so easily submit to her; or that the Kingdom of Ireland should at all own her for their Queen: Because,

I. She was the Issue of an Incestuous Marriage, so directly against the Law of God, that no Power on Earth could dis∣pense with it:* 1.2 And that Marriage was judicially nulled and made void ab initio, by the Divorce pronounced between the Parties, by the Archbishop of Canterbury; so that by conse∣quence the Issue was bastardiz'd and rendred Illegitimate. And,

II. Because the Crown was entailed upon Queen Elizabeth by Name, by the Irish Statute of 28 Hen. 8. cap. 2. as hath been already observed, and that Statute was not repealed in Ireland to that time.

It would be a lame Answer to the first Objection, to insist upon the English Statute of 35 H. 8. which gave that King Power to dispose of the Crown by his Will; for besides what some will alledg against Bills of Exclusion in general, every Body will oppose that wild and unjust Method of Exclusion, that has no regard to the Faults of the Party rejected, nor to the Merits of the Person to be advanced; but Exposes the Right of an Innocent to the Figary of an humersom Man: Moreover, it is a high Point to delegate the Legislative Pow∣er in an Instance of that Importance; and if allowed, would at once destroy all hereditary Right.

It is necessary therefore, that we have recourse to some∣thing more solid, and which really was the true Reason; and it was this, That Mary having gained Possession of the Throne in a Hurry, by the Surprize and Confusion of the People in general, the Easiness and Credulity of the Suffolk∣men in particular, and the Envy some bore to the Duke of Suffolk, and the Malice others entertained against the Duke of Northumberland, the Protestants did believe themselves obliged by the Laws of God and Man to obey the Queen, de facto, and to acquiesce in the Government that was actually over them; and therefore the Clergy, and the best and holi∣est of the Protestant Party, chose rather to be Refugees, and beg their Bread abroad, than to be mutinous and disloyal at Home.

It is not to be doubted, but that they did consult and through∣ly examine both the Laws of God and the Laws of the Land in that Particular, and found by both Sanctions, that it was not the Duty of the Subject to dispute the Title of the Prince in Possession; this were to make the Rabble Judges of the Rights of Princes, and to erect a Judicature above the Legis∣lative Power, and to introduce an Appeal from the Parliament to the People.

As to the First, viz. The Law of God, nothing was more plain, than that a Christian peaceable Temper was command∣ed in General, and a Submission to the King, de facto, in Par∣ticular; and the Reason is, Because the Power that is, is of God, for Caesar had no Right, especially over the Jewish State, but both Augustus and Tiberius were Usurpers, and yet it was to them that our Saviour and the Apostles preached Obe∣dience, and commanded us, To render the things that were Caesars.

And as to the second, viz. The Law of the Land, it has no regard to any other than the King de facto, it is he that is only King within the Statute of Edward the Third, of Trea∣sons, it is he only that by the Laws of England can grant Pardons, Call and Dissolve Parliaments, and Confirm their Acts: In a Word, It is he only that can do all Acts of Go∣vernment, and he is the Person who can and ought to give Protection to the Subjects, and consequently is to have Alle∣giance from them; the King, de facto, can punish Treasons committed against his Predecessor and his Rightful Successor may punish Treasons done against him; and the Reason is, Because it is the same continuation of the Regal Government, and the Person is not regarded in Law any▪ longer than it is cloathed with the Politick Capacity.

For the Relation that is between King and Subject, Prote∣ction and Allegiance, is reciprocal, and the Obligation is mu∣tual, as it is betwixt Husband and Wife; and therefore whensoever a King totally ceaseth the Exercise of his Roy∣al Office, he is dead in his Politick Capacity, with which the Relation is, and the Subject is at Liberty, ad alia vota convolanda, to the Successor; and whether this happens by Force or Consent, is no more to the purpose, than it is whe∣ther a Man's first Wife was murdered or dyed of a Fever.

So that it is Plain, That Possession of the Throne, by the con∣sent of the two Houses of Parliament, does give a Right, in refe∣rence to the Subject, and therefore the Words, King de jure, are but terms of Art, as Ens Rationis, among the Logicians, to signifie an Imaginary Notion they had no other name for; and if this were not so, there could be no Peace upon Earth, since there is not a Crown in Europe to which there are not several plausible Pretenders, whose Claims have many warm and furious Abettors; and perhaps it would be very difficult for any man to define what Prescription is sufficient to give more Title to a Throne than is gained by the quiet Possession thereof.

The Case of Henry the Seventh hath been already menti∣oned, wherein the Judges resolved, That the Possession of the Crown, and of the Regal Government, cleared him of all Incapacities, Defects and Attainders whatsoever.

It is necessary to add, That the Preservation of the Commu∣nity is the End and Design of all Laws; and that the greatest Solecism that can be in the OEconomy of a Kingdom, is to suspend the Government, though but for a Moment: And in Truth, the whole Society would perish by a very short Inter∣val, wherein every Man might do what seems good in his own Eyes: It is for this Reason there is no interregnum in Eng∣land. And therefore there always is a King, to whom the

English Subject owes Allegiance exclusively of all others; and that can be no other than the King de facto, who is trust∣ed by the Law with the executive Power thereof, and who alone doth or can give the People actual Protection.

If it were needful this might be farther urged, because every Man is represented in Parliament, and their Act is the Act of every individual Person; and it is beyond controver∣sie, That every one is obliged to obey the Authority himself has owned and consented to.

And as to the second Objection, it is easily answered, That Ireland is a subordinate Kingdom to England and part of its Dominions; and therefore whoever is King of England, is, ipso facto, King of Ireland as much as of the Isle of Sheppy, or of the Isle of Wight; and it was so at Common Law, and it is explained to be so by the Irish Statute of 28 Hen. 8. cap. 1. wherein it is enacted, That the King and his Successors Kings of England, shall be Kings of Ireland, and that Kingdom, is by the same Act united and knit to the Imperial Crown of England: And therefore it follows, That Ireland must sub∣mit to such disposal of the Crown as is made in England, and so the English Statute of 35 Hen. 8. was in effect a Repeal of the Irish Statute of 28 Hen. 8. cap. 2. as it was actually a Re∣peal of the English Statute of the same tenor and effect. But to proceed.

Sir Thomas Cusak Lord Chancellor and Girald Aylmer Lord Chief Justice, continued Lords Justices; and to them the Council of England, on the twentieth Day of July sent an account of the Succession of Queen Mary, together with a Proclamation, wherein she was stiled Supreme Head of the Church,* 1.3 which was read in Dublin and other Cities and Towns of Ireland, as is usual; and Orders were soon after sent to continue all Officers in their Places; and another Pro∣clamation, To give Liberty of the Mass to all that would, was likewise sent over; and afterwards the Queen was crowned by Gardiner Bishop of Winchester,* 1.4 on the first day of October; and she gave a General Pardon to both her King∣doms of England and Ireland.

In the mean time O Connor and his Complices were busie about the Invasion of Offaly, but by the Prudence of the Lords Justices they were easily suppressed.* 1.5 Nor had O Neal better Success in the County of Lowth, for though he did abundance of Mischief there, yet the Lords Justices (with the Militia of Dublin, and such others as they could on a suddain scrape to∣gether) gave him a great Defeat near Dundalk, where he lost many of his Men. And on the eleventh of November

Sir Anthony Saintleger, Lord Deputy arrived at Dalkye; and on the nineteenth he took the usual Oath, and received

the Sword in Christ Church, Dublin; and the Lord Chancel∣lor Cusack's Patent was also renewed.

Cormack Mac Coghlan, with the Aid of the Baron of Del∣vin, made War against Mac Coghlan, and invaded his Ter∣ritory; and though little more was done at first than the burning of some few Villages, yet this was the beginning of a Contest so fierce and so tedious, that at length the Terri∣tory of Delvin was entirely ruined.

Owen Macgenis was by the Lord Deputy admitted to be Chief of his Sept and Captain of his Country, on the sixth of December, upon his Oath of Fidelity to the Queen and her Successors, and upon these Conditions following, viz.

• 1. That he should not admit any Provisions from Rome,* 1.6 but oppose them all he could.
• 2. To serve the Queen with all his Power, when Occasion required.
• 3. To maintain twenty four Horse and sixty Foot, and a Company (integr. prelium) of Gallowglasses, at every Northern Expedition of the Deputy, for three Days going and three Days returning, at his own Charge.
• 4. To have no Correspondence with the Scots.
• 5. To give the Wife and Daughter of Donel Macgenis their due.
• 6. That he should not oppress the Queen's Subjects, but assist them, and the Queen would assist him against any of his Followers that should rebel.
• 7. That he should pay one hundred Cows (but this last was remitted him by the Deputy).

George Dowdal Archbishop of Armagh, who fled beyond Seas in the Reign of King Edward, was now recalled, and re∣stored to the Title of Primate of all Ireland, and had the Pri∣ory of Athird given him for Life: He held a Provincial Synod at Tredagh, where they made some Progress towards restor∣ing Popery,* 1.7 and depriving the married Clergy; but in April it went farther, and the Primate and Dr. Walsh (elect Bishop of Meath) received a Commission to deprive them, and ac∣cordingly Staples Bishop of Meath was for that reason deprived, on the twenty ninth Day of June; and in the latter end of the same Year, the like was done to Brown Archbishop of Dublin: Lancaster Bishop of Kildare, and Traverse Bishop of Leighlin, and the two other Protestant Bishops, viz. Bale Bishop of Ossory and Casy Bishop of Limerick fled beyond the Seas.

In the room of these Protestant Bishops Popish Prelates were substituted, Doctor Walsh was made Bishop of Meath, and afterwards died in Exile, in Queen Elizabeth's Reign; Hugh Curvin succeeded in the See of Dublin, as Thomas Leve∣reuse

did in that of Kildare; Thomas O Fihely was by the Pope made Bishop of Leighlin, Hugh Lacy was constituted Bishop of Limerick, and John Thonory got the Bishoprick of Ossory; but his Leases were afterwards avoided, because Bale was never deprived; and therefore he being alive at the time the Lease was made,* 1.8 continued Bishop in Law, and so Thonory had no power to dispose of any thing belonging to that See, and in that case it was likewise adjudged, that the King of England may nominate and appoint Bishops in Ireland, without the Formality of a Conge de Esl••••••, and that the Statute of 2 Elizabethae, is for so much in Affirmance of the Common Law.

The Popish Bishops did take an Oath to the Queen in these Words;* 1.9

Ego A. B. Episcopus, D. electus & Consecratus, profiteor me ha∣bere & tenere ownes temporales Possessiones dicti Episcopatus de manibus vestris & Successoribus vestris Angliae Regibus; ut in jure Coronae Regni vestri Hiberniae, vobis{que} & Successoribus vestris (Angliae Regibus) fidelis ero; ita me Deus adjuvet & sancta Dei Evangelia.

But how well they kept that Oath, I need not relate, be∣cause it is notorious.

In November came over Girald Earl of Kildare, who was restored the thirteenth of May before, and Thomas (Duff) Earl of Ormond, and Brian Fitz-Patrick, Lord of Upper Ossory, all which had behaved themselves exceeding well a∣gainst Sir Thomas Wiat: This Fitz-Patrick is famous for ex∣traordinarily loving and being beloved of King Edward the Sixth; and on the ninth of February Charles Mac Art Cave∣nagh was created Baron of Balian for Life, and after his Death, his Brother Dermond had the same Title.

The Queen ordered that the Army should be reduced to five hundred; but that was not thought reasonable in Ire∣land: However, to comply as far as they could with her Majesties Orders, they did reduce the Army to six hundred Foot, and four hundred and sixty Horse, and a few Kerns; but were forced in a short time afterward to raise more, and to send for fresh Supplies out of England.

In the mean time,* 1.10 Daniel O Bryan (claiming by Tanistry) had great Contests with the Earl of Thomond, about that Estate; he had (before this) murdered the Earl's Father; and though for the present, they were reconciled by the Me∣diation of the Lord Deputy and Council about Michaelmas, yet it was not long before their Dissentions broke out again.

But the Irish Historian, Mr. Sullevan, gives a very different Account of this Matter, and tells us, That the Lord Presi∣dent Fitton, got Daniel O Bryan into Limerick, upon his Oath, that he would give him free and safe egress out of the Gates; but the Sophistical Englishman turn'd him out of the wrong Gate, (so that there was the River of Shenin be∣tween him and his Army, which was incamped in Thomond) and immediately sent the young Earl to take possession of the Country, which he did; and Daniel (who was so brave a man, that many of the old and new Irish courted him to be King of Ireland) was forced to lie that tempestuous Night in a Cabbin; but when (according to the Irish fashion) he thought to lead his Horse to stable in the same House with himself, the proud Beast scorned to stoop, until the Foot-boy whispered the Horse in the Ear, and told him that his Master O Bryan would lodge that Night in that Cabbin,* 1.11 and desired that he would lower his Crest and his Crupper, and creep into the House to keep his Master company: (ut tu quoque equus suus capite & dorso demisso & inclinato Tygurium introeas) and the Horse being well bred, did very civilly com∣ply in Matters of Ceremony; but when he came to Supper, he was at a loss; for he was used to feed on Wheat, and could not conform to Country••entertainment, until the Foot-boy whispered him once more, that his Master O Bryan, who fed on Oaten Cake, did command Rosinante to be contented with the same Fare (O Bryan, Dominus tuus, qui hac nocte Ave∣naceum panem comedit, imperat ut tu quoque Avena vescaris) and then he fell to it.

But to return, Charles O Carol, who had murdered Teig O Carol, was himself murdered by William O Dar O Carol, who thereupon took possession of that Signiory, and held it for four years.

The Earl of Kildare, and the Baron of Delvin, at the re∣quest of Shane O Neal, went into Ʋlster, to aid him against Fylemy Roe O Neal; they did no great Exploits, but took a few Preys, with the Loss of fifty of their own Men; but a lit∣tle after, there was a smart Conflict between the Earl of Ty∣rone and Hugh Mac Neal of Clandeboy, wherein the Earl was beaten, and lost three hundred Men, besides Prison∣ers.

In October,* 1.12 Sir William Fitz-Williams, Sir John Allen, and Valentine Brown were sent over Commissioners to assist the Lord Deputy in managing the Crown-Lands; and after∣wards, in Queen Elizabeths Reign, this Brown, (being a Protestant, much employed by the Queen) wrote a nota∣ble Tract for the Reformation of Ireland, which I have seen, and is to be found at Lambeth; wherin there is nothing blame∣worthy,

saving, that he advises the extirpation of the Irish Papists, and particularly of the Fitz-Giralds, and therefore certainly did not foresee that his own Heir would degenerate into an Irish Papist, and ungratefully oppose that English In∣terest upon which his own Estate is founded.

It is said, That the Spaniards agreed to pay two thousand pound per annum for one and twenty years, for leave to Fish on the Irish Coast; but it seems there are no such Accounts in the Exchequer: And now we are got there, we ought to remember the Clerk of the Pipe (Walter Hussy) who died about this time at the Age of an hundred and seven years.

Bryan O Connor obtain'd so much Favour with the Queen, that he had leave to come for Ireland,* 1.13 and nevertheless to re∣tain his Pension in England; but he was not long at home before he was arrested upon Suspicion of new Combinati∣ons, and imprisoned in the Castle of Dublin, from whence he was not enlarged before he gave his Son Rotherick Ho∣stage for his good Behaviour.

The Year 1555,* 1.14 began with the Restoration of St. Pa∣trick's Church in Dublin, and Thomas Levereuse was made Dean thereof, and held it in Commendam with the Bishoprick of Kildare: And on the third of July Sir William Fitz-Williams was made Keeper of the Great Seal until the thirteenth of September. Hugh Curvin (who was Consecrated Archbishop of Dublin the Week before) was made Lord Chancellor.

In Ʋlster the Scots Islanders besieged Carrigfergas in vain; but Calvagh O Donel, with another Party of Scots, under Gilaspick Maccaline invaded Tirconel, and took his own Father Prisoner at Rosragh, and kept him in restraint till his Death; he also took and demolished the new Castle of Inisowen, and the Castle of Enagh, and in the middle of May the next year, he sent back his Auxiliary Scots. Another Party of the Scots kill'd Hugh Mac Neal of Claneboy in a Skirmish; whereupon that Terri∣tory was, on the fifteenth of September divided by the Lord Deputy and Council between Fylemy Duff O Neal and the Sons of Fylemy Buckagh.

In May the Cavenaughs and their Complices invaded the North Part of the County of Dublin, but the Citizens of Dub∣lin, with the Slaughter of many of the Rebels, drove one hundred and forty to Powerscourt-Castle,* 1.15 which they pretend∣ed to defend; but upon the appearance of Sir George Stanly, with Supplies, they surrendred at Mercy, and seventy four of them were hanged at Dublin, and the rest were pardoned.

But the Lord Deputy's Enemies suggested at Court, That he had formerly made some Rhymes ridiculing Transubstan∣tiation; and thereupon, for that, or for some other Reason, he was soon after recalled; and

Thomas Ratcliff Lord Fitz-Walter, Lord Deputy, arrived on Whitsunday, and on Tuesday after took the usual Oath at the Altar in Christ-Church on a Mass-book, and Saintleger on his Knees surrendred the Sword, and the Lord Deputy conti∣nued kneeling until Te Deum was sung: He brought over with him Sir Henry Sydny, Vice-Treasurer, and twenty five thousand Pound in Money, to provide against the Scots Islan∣ders and the Irish Rebels.

The Instructions to the Lord Deputy and Council begin at the top (Mary the Queen) although she was married long before that to King Philip;* 1.16 and the first Article is, by their Example and all good means possible to advance the Honour of God and the Catholick Faith; to set forth the Honour and Dignity of the Pope's Holiness and See Apostolick of Rome; and from time to time to be ready with their Aid and Secular Force, at the Request of all Spiritual Ministers and Ordina∣ries there, to punish and repress all Hereticks and Lollards, and their damnable Sects, Opinions and Errors, and to assist the Commissioners of the Legate, Cardinal Poole, which he de∣signed to send into Ireland to visit the Clergy.

On the first Day of July the Lord Deputy marched to Ʋl∣ster against the Scots;* 1.17 and on the eighteenth of the same Month he defeated them with the slaughter of two hundred of them; Sir Henry Sydny killed James Mac Connel with his own Hand, and the Earl of Ormond and Sir John Stanly be∣haved themselves exceeding well; and so the Lord Deputy having left Necessaries at Knockfergus, and Stanly the Marshal Governour of Ʋlster, returned to Dublin; and not long after made a Journey to Munster, where he received many English and Irish to Mercy.

Hereupon Shane O Neal came to the Lord Deputy to Kil∣mainham, upon a Promise of Protection, and made his humble Submission: But since that time frequent Experience has convinced the Government, That Protections have always proved disadvantagious to the State, and that lenity to the Irish Rebels has produced no other Effects, than that it has encouraged them to relapse, and others to follow their Ex∣ample: And of this Shane O Neal affords us one Instance, for notwithstanding this Submission, it was not long before he rebelled again; and Rory O Connor and Donough O Connor followed the same Copy, for though they submitted at Dingen, and put in Hostages for their Loyalty, yet they rebelled once more, and therefore were on the twenty fifth Day of February proclaimed Traytors, and at length were slain, and their Country wasted:* 1.18 In like manner William Odare O Carol was made Governour of Ely O Carol under certain Conditions, one of which was, To send a certain number of Soldiers to

every Hosting; but this Condescention and Kindness could not oblige him, but that the ungrateful Traytor rebelled next Year and was routed, and Thady O Carol was put in his Place.

And so, we are come to the Parliament, which began the nineteenth day of June, and on the second day of July was adjourned to the tenth day of November to Limerick, and then was adjourned to the first day of March, to Drogheda; but the Lord Deputy (who by the Death of his Father was Earl of Sussex) went to England on the fourth day of December, and not returning before the first day of March, the Parlia∣ment by his Absence became dissolved.

It seems, that besides the Statutes that are in Print, this Parliament enacted.

• 1. That the Queen was Legitimate.
• 2. That the Royal Power was vested in her.
• 3. That her Issue should inherit the Crown and Kingdoms of England and Ireland.
• 4. That Heresies should be punished, and three Statutes to that effect were revived.
• 5. That all Acts against the Pope, made since 20 Hen. 8. be repealed.
• 6. That the Grants made by Archbishop Brown be void; and (cap. 12.) that First-Fruits be released.

But afterwards, by the Act of the second of Elizabeth, cap. 1. the Act of Repeal was repealed, and the revived Statutes against Heresie were suppressed, the Jurisdiction of the Pope was abolished; and (cap. 3.) the First-Fruits and twentieth Part were restored to the Crown.

There was also an Act, to give the Queen a Subsidy of thirteen Shillings and four Pence out of every Plow-land, for ten Years: And another to make it Treason to introduce or receive armed Scots into Ireland, or to marry with a Scot, without Licence under the great Seal.

The printed Acts of this Parliament are,

• I. For the Disposition of Leix and Offaly.
• II. For making the King's County and Queens County Shire-Ground, and entituling their Majesties thereunto.
• III. For making other Counties into Shire-Ground.
• IV. To explain Poynings Act, that new Bills whilst the Irish Parliament sits, may be transmitted into England for Approbation, as well as if they had been sent before the Parliament met.
• V. That Labourers or Cottiers shall not buy Horses more than is absolutely necessary.
• VI. That the Owners of stolen Goods, using their best En∣deavours to prosecute the Felon, shall be reprized out of the Felons Goods, if they cannot get their own again.
• ...

• VII. That no Body shall make Aquavitae, without Licence under the great Seal, except Noblemen, Gentlemen and Free∣men of Towns that send Members to Parliament.

And it is to be noted, That this Act, which was designed to spare Corn, and prevent a Dearth, was necessary at that time: Yet now the Kingdom is better improved, and conse∣quently abounds in Corn, this Act (though not repealed) is become obsolete, and a quite contrary Act, viz. To en∣courage the Making and Exportation of Aquavitae would tend very much to the Advantage of Ireland.

In July the Lord Deputy made an Expedition against the O Maddens, whose Country (called Silanchia, now the Ba∣rony of Longford in the County of Galway) was last Year, on the Murder of John O Madden, divided between Malachy Modhar, and the Murderer Brasil Duff; the Deputy sent a Summons to the Castle of Melik, but the valiant Warders not only boasted how stoutly they would defend it; but also believing, that every Summons was an Affront, and as it were a Suspicion of their Courage, they assured the Herald, That it should not be safe for him to come with any more such Messages to them: It is hardly credible, That after all this Ostentation, these Men of War should desert the Castle the very next Night; however, they certainly did so, and the Lord Deputy placed a Garrison in it, and returned.

On the tenth of August the Lord Deputy advanced into Ʋlster,* 1.19 being accompanied by the Lords of Kildare, Ormond, Baltinglass, Delvin, Dnnboyne and Dunsany; his Design was against the Scots, but they sheltered themselves in the Woods and Bogs, so that he did them no other Mischief than that he took some Preys; however, some of them were thereby per∣swaded to submit, and Daniel Mac Conel and Richard Mac Guilliam received the Honour of Knighthood.

On the twenty second Day of October the Lord Deputy made another Journey into Ʋlster: And on the twenty fourth day he came to Dundalk; and on the twenty fifth he took a Prey and came to Armagh, the Rebels still flying before him; on the twenty seventh he burnt Armagh, except the Church, and marched to Newry; and so on the thirtieth day of the same Month returned to Dublin: And being ordered to at∣tend the Queen in England, he first obliged O Carol, O Molloy, Macgehogan, O Doyne, Mac Coughlan, the two O Maddens and Fylemy Duff to gives Hostages of their Good Behaviour: And then, on the fourth of December he set sail for England, leaving

Hugh Curvin,* 1.20 Lord Chancellor, and Sir Henry Sydny, Trea∣surer at Wars, Lords Justices, by Patent, dated at West∣minster the twelfth of November; after they were censed and

sprinkled with Holy Water and Mass was celebrated, they were sworn at Christ-Church, on Sunday the fifth of Decem∣ber, and received the Sword from Sir John Stanly, the Mar∣shal, with whom it was left to that Purpose, and they con∣tinued in their Office until

Sir Henry Sydny,* 1.21 Lord Justice, was sworn, on the sixth of February, by the Queen's Command, and by virtue of a Commission, bearing date the eighteenth day of January; he attacked Arthur O Molloy, Chief of Fercalia, who was brewing new Treasons, and favoured and cherished those that were in Rebellion: But the Lord Deputy did soon over∣run his Country, and made Theobald O Molloy Governour thereof, and took his Son for a Hostage of the Father's Fide∣lity, and then by Cess in the Pale the Deputy furnished the Forts of Maryburgh and Philipsburgh with Victuals, and re∣turned to Dublin; where he made Proclamation, That no Corn should be carried out of the Pale.

In the mean time Shane O Neal invaded Tyrconnel, design∣ing to reduce it to the former Tribute and Dependance it paid to his House; Calvagh O Donel being too weak to resist by Force, betook himself to his Politicks, and made an Essay by Night on the Enemy's Camp, and it succeeded according to his Desire, for O Neal's Army being over-confident of their Numbers, and despising the Weakness of their Adversaries, had made no preparation to resist an Assault which they did not suspect, and wanting such Scouts, Out-guards and Cen∣tinels, as Martial Discipline required, and as was usual in all well-governed Armies, they were easily surprized and de∣feated, and Shane O Neal himself was forced to make use of his Heels.

As to Ecclesiastical Affairs, there was a Provincial Synod held at Dublin, Anno 1555, which made some Constituti∣ons about the Rites and Ceremonies to be used in the Church, and afterwards the Church-Goods and Ornaments were re∣stored, and particularly those belonging to the Churches of Dublin and Drogheda; and although many Gleabs continued Lay-Fees during all the Reign of Queen Mary; yet at the Request of Cardinal Poole, her Majesty restored the Possessi∣ons of the Priory of Kilmainham; and Oswal Messemberg was confirmed Prior by Patent, dated the eighth of March 1557. but afterwards he fled beyond Seas, and the Possessions of that Priory (and of that Order in Ireland) were by Act of Parliament annexed to the Crown in Queen Elizabeth's Reign.

There was also a Provincial Synod held at Drogheda this Year by Archbishop Dowdal, and therein Leave was given to Husbandmen to work certain Days in Harvest.

The Lord Justice having on the twenty fifth Day of April received the Submission of O Reyly and his Fealty or Oath of Allegiance,* 1.22 did on the twenty seventh surrender the Sword to

Thomas Earl of Sussex, Lord Deputy, who brought over with him five hundred Soldiers, and an Order to coyne Brass-Money, and to make it currant by Proclamation; which he did. On the fourteenth of June he began his March to Mun∣ster against Daniel O Brian; he came to Limerick and advan∣ced forwards into Thomond, he scattered the Rebels, and took the Castles of Bunratty and Clare, and then restored the Coun∣try to the Earl of Thomond, who, together with the Free∣holders of that Country did on Sunday the tenth day of July swear on the Sacrament,* 1.23 and by all the Relicks of the Church, as Book, Bell and Candelight (they are the very Words of the Herald's Certificate) to continue Loyal to the Queen, and to perform their Agreements with the Lord Deputy.

On the twenty first of June the Earl of Desmond made his Submission to the Deputy at Limerick; and on the twenty sixth the Lord Deputy was God-father to the Earl's Son, whom he named James Sussex, and gave the Child a Chain of Gold, and gave another Chain and Pair of gilt Spurs to Dermond Mac Carthy of Muskry; whom he also knighted.

The Lord Deputy caused a Soldier to be nailed to a Post for drawing his Sword in the Camp, contrary to Proclama∣tion, and then marched to Galway, where he was well re∣ceived, especially by the Archbishop of Tuam and the Bishops of Clonfert and Clonmacnoise, who with the Clergy met him in Procession.

On the fifteenth day of September the Lord Deputy shipped his Army at Dalky, and sailed to Raghline; and though he lost one Ship in the Storm, yet he pursued his Design and took the Island, and placed a Colony and a small Garrison in it; and thence he invaded and wasted Cantire in Scotland. Nor did the Islands of Aran and Comber escape the like Desolation; and he intended as much against the Island of Ila, but he was by ill Weather forced to put in at Carigfergus; and so having burnt many Villages, which were possest by the Scots in Ʋlster, he returned to Dublin on the eighth day of No∣vember.

Sir Henry Sydny was sworn Lord Justice on the eighteenth of September, by virtue of a Patent, dated at Richmond the fourth of August, and now when the Earl of Sussex return'd, he was sworn anew on the tenth of November, and had a new Patent, bearing date the seventeenth day of August, 1558.

The Lord Deputy had a new Great Seal sent him out of England, and also new Seals to the other three Courts; which

he delivered to the Lord Chancellor, Chief Justices and Chief Baron in the Council Chamber; and about the same time a Party of the Islander Scots that came into Connaught, to the Assistance of one of the Burks, was defeated by the Earl of Clanrickard, and most of them slain.

And because the Author quotes the Most Reverend and Learned Primate, Ʋsher, and the Memorials of the Most No∣ble and Industrious Richard Earl of Cork for the following Sto∣ry, I will insert it verbatim, as it is already printed in the Life of Archbishop Brown.

Queen Mary having dealt severely with the Protestants in England, about the latter end of her Reign signed a Commis∣sion for to take the same Course with them in Ireland; and to execute the same with greater Force, she nominates Dr. Cole one of the Commissioners: Sending the Commission by this Doctor, who in his Journey coming to Chester, the Mayor of that City hearing that her Majesty was sending a Messen∣ger into Ireland, and he being a Church-Man, waited on the Doctor, who in discourse with the Mayor taketh out of a Cloak-Bag a Leather-Box, saying unto him, Here is a Com∣mission that shall lash the Hereticks of Ireland (calling the Protestants by that Title): the good Woman of the House being well affected to the Protestant Religion, and also hav∣ing a Brother named John Edmunds of the same, then a Ci∣tizen in Dublin, was much troubled at the Doctor's Words; but watching her convenient time, whilst the Mayor took his Leave, and the Doctor complementing him down the Stairs, she opens the Box and takes the Commission out, placing in lieu thereof a Sheet of Paper with a Pack of Cards, the Knave of Clubs faced uppermost wrap up: The Doctor coming up to his Chamber, suspecting nothing of what had been done, put up the Box as formely. The next day going to the Water-side, Wind and Weather serving him, he sails towards Ireland, and landed on the seventh of October, 1558. at Dublin; then coming to the Castle, the Lord Fitz-Wal∣ters, being Lord Deputy, sent for him to come before him and the Privy Council; who coming in, after he had made a Speech, relating upon what account he came over, he pre∣sents the Box unto the Lord Deputy; who causing it to be opened, that the Secretary might read the Commission, there was nothing save a Pack of Cards, with the Knave of Clubs uppermost; which not only startled the Lord Deputy and Council, but the Doctor, who assured them, He had a Com∣mission, but knew not how it was gone: Then the Lord De∣puty made answer, Let us have another Commission, and we will shuffle the Cards in the mean while. The Doctor being troubled in Mind went his way, and returned into

England, and coming to the Court obtained another Com∣mission; but staying for a Wind at the Water-side, News came unto him, That the Queen was dead: And thus God preserved the Protestants in Ireland.

This Queen died on the seventeenth day of November, 1558. And it is observable, That though she was a very zealous Papist, yet the Irish were not quieter during her Reign, than they were under her Brother; but on the contrary, their An∣tipathy against Englishmen and Government induced them to be as troublesome then as at other times, and prevailed with Mr. Sullevan to give this severe Character of her Reign,* 1.24 That although the Queen was zealous to propagate the Ca∣tholick Religion, yet her Ministers did not forbear to injure and abuse the Irish: Quae tametsi catholicam Religionem tueri & amplificare conata est, ejus tamen Praefecti & Conciliarii inju∣rias Ibernis inferre non destiterunt.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1553.
• * 1.2

  Dr. Burnet's Hist. Reform. 131.
• * 1.3

  1553.
• * 1.4

  Ware, 204.
• * 1.5

  September.
• * 1.6

  Lib. D.
• * 1.7

  1554.
• * 1.8

  2 Cro. 553.
• * 1.9

  Ware, de Prae∣sulibus, 188.
• * 1.10

  Lib. D.
• * 1.11

  Sullevan, 80.
• * 1.12

  Lib. CCC.
• * 1.13

  Ware, 211.
• * 1.14

  1555.
• * 1.15

  1556.
• * 1.16

  Lib. SSS. 53.
• * 1.17

  Ware, 216.
• * 1.18

  1557.
• * 1.19

  Ware, 220.
• * 1.20

  1557.
• * 1.21

  Ware, 222.
• * 1.22

  1558.
• * 1.23

  Lib. NNN.
• * 1.24

  Sullevan. cath. hist. 81.