laughed at through the World when they cannot afford me one example neither domestick nor forraigne neither obsolete or moderne neither diuine nor prophane of any subiect stepping awry into the by-waies of rebellion or insurrection that was established by a forraigne Prince except that Prince as I said before proiected by such a bridge to transport his owne power for his owne ends and priuate satisfaction But I would faine disclaime any vnciuill opening the graues of the Dead and content my selfe with displaying the colours of time not yet elapsed from our owne memories When the children of that worthy Edmond Ironside fled into Hungarie from that preuailing greatnesse of Canutus I doe not read of their triumphant returne nor other establishment against that braue Dane till the factions of England broke out into flames of their priuate reuenges When Henry the second had crowned his sonne King of England and that the impatient young man could not endure his owne Father in the competition the Story saies the Prince with his brethren fled into France but how they returned how they prospered how they were supported it is lamentable one way to report and remarkeable another way to relate In that deplorable businesse of Edward the second when his wife and son presumed on the assistance of the French King I hope it was not that power which established the young Prince but the authoritie of Mortimer that suppressed the misled King When Henry the fourth preuailed Queene Isabel fled to her owne brother about the restoring of Richard 2. but to what purpose To bemoane her remedilesse griefes and returne if euer shee did returne without suppliment of sufficient assistance The Earle of Richmond though afterward Henry the seuenth in the confused times of the Yorkest preuailings went into Brittaine and so into France but how he had like to haue beene serued Peter Landoise the Secretary and the Kings gold could then haue vnueiled the corruption of either and when that Fortune led him by the hand to pace out the measures of victories I hope it was no French power but English Friends and the Iustice of Diuine prouidence which seated him so happily in the Throne of greatnesse How Perkin Warbeck for all his exhaled vapouring went forward assisted by the Scottish policie Flemmish credulitie and inueterat malice of the Duches of Burgundy against the house of Lancaster our stages of London haue instructed those which cannot read How the Earle of Westmerland and numbers of English fugitiues haue beene entertained abroad some ouerthrown with calamitous desperation some colluded with the incantations of Friers religious miracles some distracted with guiltines of Conscience some transfounded with ambitious prosecutions some preuaricated with an outward glory of Military profession all men can discouer with repining eyes or else let them ouerlooke a well compacted breuiary to the same purpose discoursing of the entertainement of English fugitiues beyond the Seas In the heate of our Enmity with Spaine Don Antonio King of Portingall flies vnder the couert of a Princely protection which to the admiration of the World so expanded it selfe that we brought him to the gates of Lisbone but were deceiued with his presumptuous weakenesse and ouer-credulous information Somewhat neere the same account another personating the King Sebastian supposedly slaine in the fields of Barbary astonished Florence and Venice with many preuailing probabilities of his life but the King of Spaine was in the strength of a new possession and the Italians too fearefull to rayse vp a Spirit they knew not how to coniure downe againe If you would commiserate the misfortunes of Stukely I could Catalogue all his proceedings and relate that the best glory of his entertainement both with the King of Spaine and the Pope consisted in some poore mercenary allowances and when it was at the highest to flourish onely with the titular dignity of the Marquesse of Dubline but alas it wanted the essentiall parts and proppes of such a businesse Men and Treasure so that I may very well conclude against all such exhalations and infatuated men with the significant Poet Non ideo debet pelago se credere si qua audet in exiguo ludere cimbalacu What say you to Antonio de Peres for whom the warres of Aragon burst forth into the reproach of seditious reuolts and tumultuary disobedience was hee not a while suffulciated amongst vs vntill those vnlookt for conditions of peace hung downe the heads of many military and noble minded English sending him to put his confidence in God for the Princes of the World had failed him You haue heard how the Duchy of Millane was as it were dilacerated with troubles and posted ouer from perplexity to perplexity vntill the Emperour Charles the fift made it a meritorious act to secure it vnder the strength of his protection but alas hee quickly left them staggering in their weakenesse and widened his owne embraces to hug them warme for himselfe and keep them close to the Maiesty of Spaine What say you to the Duke de Maine and many of that French League how did they excruciat themselues to be shouldered aside from their expectation of forraigne coadiutement and when they had laboured to hide themselues in the Reedes of the Arch-Dukes Pooles yet were they faine to make themselues cleane againe by a contrary submission in the springs of their owne Countrey assuring the malecontents of their combination that no Prince will hazard the peace of his Countrey and Treasure of his Common-wealth for any forraigne Subiect liuing vnles as in many places before the proiect is contriued for their owne glory or benefite I could beginne againe with the vnnaturall distractions of the Warres betweene Lancaster and Yorke when Queene Margaret the Virago of her time and her faction fled both into Scotland and France but with what comforts of supportation there and reliefe at home the Catastrophes of her husband and sonne can delineate her misfortunes and her owne dismission out of England bee a sufficient warning to all disastrous Princes especially seditious Subiects neither to trust their owne strength friends in vniustifiable proceedings lest with Phaetons wilfulnesse they finde the Sunnes horses too too headstrong for their managing nor be too confident in the best aduersity on the presidiary helpes of a Stranger if once the businesse tend to draw an Army into the field and as it were to pull off the Gates of anothers Maiesty ouer the hindges But of all other the history of Tirone and Terconell is most lamentable and remarkeable who while I was in Italy passed by Millane to Rome but in such a manner as if Zedechias eyes were put out and the Princes of Iuda carried captiue to Babylon before the Monarch of the East for his entertainement with Spaine was no better then in a common Inne at Milbane with a common tricke to grace and flatter him with a foolish title of the Prince of Ireland and at Rome hee was the
subiects of Charity and had onely a poore suppliment from some speciall Cardinals yet because I haue beene a spectator of this flourishing Tree like the Chaldeans vision and saw his blasting and fall of Leaues as the Fig-tree cursed by our Sauiour giue mee leaue to bee beholding to M r Cambdens compendious discourse and with some additions of my owne set him thus on the Stage of fearefull admiration Thus much by way of Introduction The Story followes THE HISTORIE OF THE EARLE of Tirone I Will here desist from any dilations of Irish businesse of old or mention of the great Oneale who as they say before the comming of Saint Patrick possessed Vlster and most parts of Ireland shining as the Sunne of the same vntill the conquest from England obscured his light and taught his barbarous immanity another manner of obedience and lesson of submission to a greater Maiesty by which occasion this ambitious family was in a manner suppressed and lost that seeming lustre where with it graced the North of Ireland yea the whole Iland lying close to the shore and not daring once to launch forth into the Ocean of turbulent dissention or refractary contesting with England vntill Edward de Bruse of Scotland proclaymed himselfe King of Ireland Then Douenaldus Oneale impatient of such indignity launched forth by degrees into the Channell of a new disturbance and held vp his head as presuming on his owne Greatnesse equall to Bruses and so in his letters and submission to the Pope accustomed the titles of heire of Ireland King of Vlster and one of the sonnes of the mother Church But that trouble appeased these new Kings were separated and their vnited Greatnesse euen in their posterity disioynted vntill againe that implacable contention betweene the two Families of Yorke and Lancaster not onely deformed the prosperity of England but according to the preuailing of factious Greatnesse sent ouer diuers Gouernours their particeans into Ireland who still temporizing with the strongest party and contriuing for their priuate lest the generall cause at randome and were indeed vnable to redact to any vniformity of gouernement the disparity of Irish obedience and so gaue way vnto this ambitious insulting and rude people to hold vp their heads and aduance themselues as high as their owne titles the law Tanist and liberty of nature could dignifie them Wherevpon Harry Oneale the son of Oenus or Eugenius matched himselfe with the daughter of Th. Earle of Kildare his son Con More or great Con married the daughter of Gerald Earle of Kildare his owne mothers Neece whereby vnited to the flourishing colours of the Geraldines which many yeeres had beene displayed in Ireland and swelled with the fulnesse of a most vberant family they beganne besides a strange elation of their spirits with a tyrannous suppression of their own Nation and this Con More despised all titles of either Prince Duke Marquesse or Earle in respect of the name of Oneale To this Con succeeded another Con surnamed Banco or Lance whose inueterate hate against the English was such that hee cursed his posterity if either they learned the language sowed any wheate or builded houses This mans greatnesse bred him enuy in the Court of England according to the misery of all times there wanted not priuate whisperers yea flatterers of Princes by whose suggestion that famous King Henry the eight was iealous of his power especially when it was corroborated by that factious house of Kildare whose story alone is of worthy memory and affordeth so many excellent obseruations that I wish them folded vp as it were in one carpet to be spred abroad with hansomnesse for our delight and vnderstanding But when the strength of our armies and fortune of the warres had both ouerawed their weaknesse and reduced to good order those dangerous enemies bringing them into the schoole of correction for their misdemeanors and reformation for their inciuility This Con was compelled to prostrate himselfe before the Maiesty of England and so disclaimnig the title of Oneale by Letters-Patents was created Earle of Tirone his eldest sonne Mathew though suspected a Bastard Baron of Dunganon and all his Family as it were incorporated to the new obedience of the King This Mathew vntill the age of fifteene yeere was imputed the sonne of a Smith in Dundalk whose wife being Oneales Concubine did at the time of death according to the custome of Ireland present him with this sonne whome Oneale did not onely receiue with gladnesse but accepted him as his owne yea preferred him before his other children to his titles and possessions But Iohannes or Shane Oneale his sonne by a lawfull wife tooke it in such indignity that making a strong faction against his father hee not onely supplanted his brother Mathew cutting off his head but tormented the old Con with many vnnaturall assaults and violent excursions depopulating his territories killing his complices banishing his auxiliaries and at last brought him with vntimely griefe vnto his graue and all the country to bee affrighted with his tyranny For he not onely stepped forward more gloriously then his other ancestors proclayming himselfe the great Oneale but with seuerall expeditions contracted the loue and obseruation of the other Prouinces insomuch that many Rebels both of Conach Meths and Munster assisted him in the prosecution of Mathews childrē amongst whom Brian falling into the hands of Maudonel Totan was cruelly murthered Hugh Cormach were vnder English protection and hardy preserued which fell out so crosly against Shanes expectation and disastrous to his rebellious presumption that with a lothsome sauagenesse and traitrous conspiracy he deformed the beauty of Irelands peace and made hauock in a strange manner of her prosperity to which insolency and violent rage of preuailing Sir Henry Sidney L. Iustice of Ireland in the absence of T. Earle of Sussex Lord Lieutenant made opposition and cast such blocks in the way that his fury was somewhat rebated and a Cataplasme of restraint applied and when there was no remedy but cutting and fearing the vlcerous flesh of this putrified body of Rebellion by force of Armes hee not onely propulsed the indignity lashing the sides of these proud Treasons with the stripes of a reuengefull hand but brought this insulting Lord on his knees and made him confesse the superiority of Englands Maiesty But first by way of expostulation the matter was disputed with this Shane how he durst presume to cast as it were a defiance into the face of Englands Gouernment and put on his Iearean wings to flie higher then his owne Feathers would warrant him Hee answered very peremptorily that hee was the true and lawfull heire of Con Oneale as issuing from a worthy wife and of a noble house whereas Mathew was the Sonne of a Smith in Dondalck and onely foisted in to ouerthrow the families of Oneale which hee neither would nor could be a Pathick vnto as for the Kings Letters patents affording Con the honor of a Coronet and
sonnes or Hugh Baron of Dunganmon might intercept his claime and preuent his right as he supposed which compelled him to this audacious enterprise contrary to the edict and prohibition of the same notwithstanding to salue the sore of his suspected loialty he kept correspondency with vs in all his other actions and in her Maiesties seruice not only encountred Odonell but ouerthrew the Scots Ilanders and at last destroyed Alexander Oge the murtherer of Shane Oneale All this while Hugh the sonne of Mathew stood on his guard and liued warily sometimes vnder the security of his owne faithfull followers sometimes vnder the trust of English protection for so in his yonger time he trooped in the streets of London with sufficient equipage and orderly respect and sometimes as a Souldier he commanded a company of horse vnder the Deputy in Munster against the Earle of Desmond with a pension beside of one thousand marke a yeere out of the Exchequer which orderly proceedings with the trust conceiued of his loialty drew the bow for him wherewith hee hot the marke of his owne aime and so by new Leters-Patents hauing diuers restraints and reseruations hee was admitted to his Grandfathers titles and inheritances nor should it seeme that Turlogh Leignogh stomached his aduancement but rather vpon hope of his vertues which gaue a lustre to his actions surrendred his titles and Lordships into his hands But oh the ambition of men or vnconstancy of manners these proceedings with him in this faire and gentle manner made him either proud of his owne greatnesse or presumptuous that the State was afraid to displease him or superstitious after the Priests had insorcered him For presently against the Queenes absolute prohibition this new Tirone takes vpon him the title of Oneale excusing the fact lest some rebellious spirit according to their warlike custome of maintaining that Character in their Family might assume the same taking aduantage of his negligence protesting to disclaime the honour so he might not be vrged by oath and from hence arose the first motiue of Tirones vnsted fastnesse At this instant was that memorable defeat and admirable discomfiture of the King of Spaines formidable Armado or if you will according to Mendozas owne words then Embasdor Leiger in Paris inuincible Nauy whereby in their returne by Scotland and Ireland many of them perished but the better sort were kindly intertaind by Tirone after the manner of Irish Hospitality and vnexpectedly welcome considering that any reliefe to men in distresse and cast on a strange shore by Shipwrack is as Balme and Oile powred into wounds In requitall whereof such a Loome of mischiefe was set on worke that at the last the cloth was wouen of his corruption and folded together to keepe his treasons warme in his owne bosome till a strong supposed and yet presumptuous hand spred it abroade to his vtter destruction and shamefull disgrace by reason of his deformed filthinesse For when then these straggling Spaniards perceiued his naturall inclination to ambitious willingnesse concerning the maintaining some turbulent faction in Ireland and demonstration of a stirring spirit for the glory of his Ancestors they quickly added fuell to the fire and with all the baites of prosperity and incantations to flattery choaked his loialty cast dust into the eyes of his faithfulnesse Some promising that their great Master should recompence his humanity and noble respect Some repining at their misfortune layd many slaunders on the shoulders of our country Some vnder collour of religious obedience assured that the Pope himselfe should gratifie him Some more dangerously cunning crept within him by that imposturing art of commendation inferring he was more worthy of a Crowne then a subiects prostitution some more plainely with demonstratiue reasons led him as it were by the hand to the chaire of presumption and possibility that it might bee so if he durst attend his owne fortunes and prosecute the times in their seuerall changes By which occasion this mans irresolute loue to his Prince and country was first enuenomed and tainted Afterward it rancled more and more in his declining from himselfe and first soundnesse by contracting a league with Spaine Thirdly it swelled apace with the oath and allegeance of many followers and particians to coadiute him in any enterprise whatsoeuer and last of all it restred incurably in consenting and putting the same in practice to bee an opposite to the gouernment of England and a famous Rebell against the peace of our country which yet was neither so cautelously disposed of nor firmely compacted but Hugh ne Gauclock his brother fearing the feareful consequence of the downefall of his house discouered the same for which the Earle found a time to strangle him colourably prosecuting the Actors that durst lay hands on any of the bloud of Oneale but alas it serued not his turne For not onely this barbarous Fratricide but all his other refractary courses were laid open to the peering eyes of Englands Maiesty but such was his preuailing fortune that vpon his reasonable iustifications and seeming penitency our gracious Elizabeth not onely remitted those offences with fauour but continued him in his Greatnesse with Honour In this manner he moued awhile in the highest orbe of prosperity and from our English supportation commanded his country as a Prince of the North and except an open displaying of the colours of Rebellion performed what he durst and durst doe any thing which tended not to manifest treason and dangerous innouation For not long after vnder colour of corroborating the peace of his country and insinuation with some English affinity hee made Sir Samuel Bagnols sister beleeue that the great Oneale of Ireland was captiuated to her loue and in which if the time could haue serued hee would haue shewed himselfe as braue and complete an Amorist as the formallest Courtier in England To this the Lady seemed no great opposite onely with some shew of modesty depending on her brother she referd the successe to his approbatiō who som what too stubborne interposed as it were a negatiue not without exprobation of the barbarous customes of the North of Ireland which Tirone interpreted disgracious to his exaltation and finding no other remedy to appease his wilfulnesse in a manner by force of armes tooke her to his wife wherevpon hee was denied her dowry and that exasperated his displeasure to which when the Deputy added the suppressing of Mac Mahond his neighbour I am afraid it exulcerated his loialty For when hee perceiued hee was forbidden the title to the abasing of his Family and saw his inheritance distributed to the impouerishing his estate he quickly startled vp and many displeasures discouered themselues against his former establishment so that the Earle by occasion of retchlesse booke-keepers cast vp his vntoward account in this manner First that the State had a purpose to suppresse the flourishing eminence both of himselfe and all the Lords of the North Next that they should bee
compelled to alter their Religion and disclaime the Popes vsurped authoritie ouer the Church Thirdly that the Marshall Sir Henry Bagnoll had not onely prosecuted him with despightfull and malignant enmity but iustified Articles of Treason against him Fourthly that he was denied the fruits of his owne labor and honor of his industry after he had as hee obiected with the losse of much blood and expending of great Treasure of his owne reducted the Prouince of Vlster And last of all that Sir William Fitz-William Lord Deputy had not only giuen way to the malice of the Marshall but possessed the Court of England with many vntruths against him all which were quickly capitulated to the Dinastas of the North his kinsmen fauorites and dependents they as quickly commiserated his discontents and meerely out of inueterate hate against vs all contracted themselues to the maintaining the Romish Religion and obedience to the house of Oneale keeping yet an open correspondency with vs though in couert their hearts as the Lapwing cryeth farthest from her nest stored vp as it were all prouocations of disloyalty lying yet in waite for some aduantagious excuse if they once were discouered The first that brake the Ice of their ill contriued Rebellions was Mac Guier a turbulent yong man crafty and reuengefull who seduced by Gauranus a Priest confirmed Primate of Ireland by the Pope inuaded Conagh and in insulting manner vsurped the Countrey as hee went with full confidence that the holy Fathers blessings should in a manner make security and successe attend them But the doores of Heauen were barred on the inside excluding them as yet from any entrance and the vertue of Sir Richard Bingham so counterchecked Mac Guiers fortunes that hee fled discomfited the Primate slaine and all his forces dispersed Yet after a while the scattered limbs of Pelops are gathered together and as if Anteus should recouer by touching the Earth Mac Guier maketh a stronger party and with some deceiueable beginnings goes into more open Action against whom the Earle of Tyrone himselfe was compelled to ioyne with the Marshall his only suspected enemy and receiued a wound in that seruice But his heart as it should seeme was worser hurt with priuate discontentments For you must vnderstand that before he set forward in her Maiesties seruice order was taken for the safe keeping of Shane Oneales children whose deliuery hee had denied to the State inferring by way of complaint that the Lord Deputy and Marshall picked nothing but quarrels against him and by new occsiaons of vnkindenesse determined to supplant him Now is Sir William Fitzwilliam recalled and Sir William Russell constituted Deputy in his stead to whom of his owne accord the Earle of Tyrone came to submitte himselfe with all those promises that might induce a generous spirit to beleeue him but the Marshall Bagnoll then present audaciously articulated 1 That he countenanced Mac Guier and the Primats Rebellion 2. That hee supported Odonell and the rest of that coniuration 3. That by the aduice of Cormach Mac Baron his Bastard Sonne Con had coadiutement from him in the deuastation of Monaghan and besieging of Inigkellin 4. That hee corrupted the Faith and Obedience of the Captaines of Kilulto and Kilwarney 5. And that all his protestations were counterfet and dissimulatory fictions These were hainous obiections and indeede deuided the Councell For the Deputy and Marshall would haue detayned him prisoner but the greater part eyther by vaine feare or corrupted respects interceded vntill a more fitter oportunity to whom as men better acquainted with the affaires of Ireland the Lord Deputy hardly condiscended So Tyrone returned home and indeede turned as the Dog to his vomit to his former impressed resolutions to disturbe the State if the State disturbed him whereupon vnderstanding of an Army raysed in England with new supplies of 1300. Low-countrey Souldiers against him whom that worthy and renowned Sir Iohn Norris by the famous name of Generall Norris brought out of Britany hee not onely stood on his guard but mustred his followers by this time reasonably disciplin'd in the open fields and whilst the English went against Balishanon and Belike Castles at the further end of Logh Erne he approched Black-water Fort and comming on the suddaine had it surrendered into his hands but not with that confidence that eyther hee relied on the security of the place or power of his owne Army whereupon he very politiquely one way attempted the Earle of Kildare to support him against the manifest iniuries of the Deputy and Marshall and another way promised the Earle of Ormond and Sir Henry Wallop Treasurer to remaine within the limits of iustifiable obedience To this hee added the vnclasping the booke of these occurrences to Sir Iohn Norris Generall of the Army imploring his commiseration and as it were begging at his hands that hee might not bee enforced to such exorbitant actions as necessity and the law of Nature would and could contriue but the former Letters the Marshall intercepted and these too Generall Norris quite suppressed which he sparingly misliked though it fell not to his turne absolutely to finde fault withall But when Tyrone vnderstood of these calumnious and dangerous proceedings against him hee was put quite out of patience exclayming that his destruction was now on the webbe and in the hands of a pestilent workeman yea his aduersary wanted onely meanes to his will to contriue his vtter destruction indeede Notwithstanding all this hee put on new wings to his deceiueable hopes and turmoyled all the Kingdome with inficious Rebellion whereupon hee was publikely proclaymed Traytor and enemy to the Queene which hee professed accordingly with all correspondency of an aduersary For in Vlster his Army consisted of a 1000. Horse and 7000. Foote In Conach he had or if you wil O Roorck and the Conners kept them together at his disposing 200. Horse and 2400. Foote In Lease and Ophaly the number was as vncertaine as their dispositions being sometimes violent Rebels and anon submissiue Subiects In Munster they liued so dispersed that the Gouernour found it worke enough to finde them out and follow them The English forces vnder Sir Iohn Norris equalled their greatest Armies but nothing was done worthy of so great a Commanders name and souldiers renowne For vnder colour of priuate displeasure betweene the Deputy and him many bad offices were performed and the time spent to small purpose in parlies and conferences affording Tirone such leisure that hee contracted with Spaine and expected from thence continuall supplies But before the matter came to martiall deciding Sir Henry Wallop Treasurer at warrs and Sir Robert Gardner chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench men layd downe in the ballance of integrity wisedome and experience were deligated to heare the grieuances of these great Lords of the North enforced to a defensiue warre as they intimated and yet obscured by the name of traytors against the State The commiserate hearing of these compulsions and vnquiet discourses
determined to see the manner of Tyrones returning home into his Countrey but was preuented by the admirable expedition hee made For certified of all our proceedings not without some ampliation of my Lords power and authority as in all such cases it happens that new Gouernours are not onely extolled but an army of a thousand by poll shall be made two thousand by report he quickly procured a shelter for the storme which was threatned and euen ready to powre vpon him and so taking the way of Lease and the skirts of Meath posted into the North. When my Lord Deputy was thus frustrated of his expectation he returned to Dublin and after orderly consultation concluded to send forces by sea to Logh-Foile and Balishanon as also to Logh-Erne to visit Lease and Ophaly to restore Munster and fortifie Conach which as they were designes of wonderfull consequence so must as wonderfull wisdome of men and prouidence of God effectuate the same and bring to a happy period Thus was all Ireland like a turbulent sea full of billowes euen to the very shores and the Rebell vexed both Countrey and Inhabitants the country was spoiled ouerrunne and in most parts depopulated insomuch that in diuers places twenty mile together not so much as a bird appeared the inhabitants were slaine rauished enforced and robbed insomuch that neither house nor Church except some few castles and townes in speciall mens hands remained vpright but were burnt ruined and deuasted When my Lord Deputy to make my first simile hold correspondency felt the pulses so strong of this disquieted body and vnderstood the state of the same by outward and inward demostration his principall care was to reduce the distemperature and coole the heat if it were possible of this burning feauer for which purpose hee conferred with the Councell and after orderly and prouident furnishing his army with munition garons and seuerall prouision he determined in person and with all speedinesse sometimes the onely strength and life of all difficult enterprizes to encounter the enemy but especially to diuert Tyrone from intercepting S r. Henry Dockeray at Logh-Foile and S r. Matthew Morgan at Balishanon whereupon in the beginning of May an early time to bring an army into the field hee marched toward Vlster and pressed the Rebell with so many skirmishes that they were wonderfully dispersed and against all expectation confounded Thus had hee leasure in the midst of Iune to march backe againe into Lease the onely refuge of the Rebels of Lemster where with admirable successe he preuailed against that turbulent cruell and bloudy young man Ony-Mac-Roory-Oge the cheefe of the family of O-more who had so lately disturbed the peace of all Munster to whom with other his most pestilent and impious confederates did our Deputy read a lesson of Iustice and taught rebellion other principles of conformity then either they were willing to learne or had beene before orderly enstructed in by which occasion Bellona began to giue vs better entertainment and already there appeared a declining of the others prosperity Thus was the God of battells propitious vnto vs and the sunne of comfort by degrees chased away the foggy mists of despaire and despight so that euery mans heart was cheered and they which held downe their heads full low in the time of mistrust and affliction I meane the Irish-English themselues in the pale beganne to stand vpright for ioy and flocked to the court in troops to welcome my Lord Deputy home and applauded the prosperity of his attempts yea to speake without flattery to impute the happinesse to his vertue and wisdome In the midst of this iollity new supplies out of England gaue more aire to successe which had beene so long smoothered betweene malignant circumstances of time and ill conditions of men deuoted to priuate ends For this is most certaine that in the vncertainty of our preuailing when the gouernment of Ireland seemed layd at the stake howeuer the better sort kept correspondency with vs and professed a kinde of glory in participating with our misfortunes yet did they vnderhand not onely releeue Tyrone but contracted for their owne security if any alteration should chance yea in some of our extremities they behaued themselues so audaciously and yet with an vntoward policy that when they were sent for to march with the army they made dilatory excuses and many times denied such attendance as if they had businesse sufficient to keepe their owne territories from robbery and spoiles But our worthy Deputy againe with these new troops he vndertooke the iourney of the Moiry three miles beyond Dondalk and attempted an impetuous assault which continued with many dangerous and violent skirmishes For his horse was shot vnder him his Secretary slaine by him his friends wounded and diuers Commanders hurt yet he endured all and the God of heauen endured him so that at the last with a memorable slaughter and fortunate victory hee enforced them from his fastnesse Presently finding sweet beginnings to breath life into actions he marched to Armagh and tumbled those hindrances on to side which had made that passage so noysome and because he would maintaine an old position Non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri He built a fort called Mount Norris within eight miles of the Newry and in a manner the mid-way to Armagh in honour of that worthy Generall vnder whom he was introducted on the martiall theater In his returne passing ouer many light skirmishes neere vnto Carlingford hee preuailed with a memorable defeature of the rest and so stored the castles with strong wards making the narrow water passible and sending the pestilent Kerne lurking in euery corner to seeke for better shelter For these new and terrible stormes had shattered their olde couerts and almost beaten them to peeces ouer their heads Not long after in the midst of winter he coasted into the Glins by Dublin where Donnell-Spaniah-Phelin and Raymond-Mac-Feugh with that pestilent rabble of O-Tooles held such a quarter that no man before him had either leisure to disranke them or sufficient forces to raise them from their firmnesse these yet he subdued reduced and led them by strong hand to such a way of obedience that Sir Henry Harrington vnder him went quietly to Newcastle and had the principall command ouer them yea I can assure you were glad to be inuited to the pleasures of his peace and entertainment and Raymond-Mac-Feugh as I take it was his tenant for Baltinglas and gloried in nothing more then that hee had sworne himselfe a true subiect to the Maiestie of England Lastly he hasted into Feriall where the Rebell Tirrell was pulled out of his darke corners into the open light of discomfiture and in the end compelled into Vlster to the great Cōmander of their facinorous enterprizes whither his Lordship followed with admiration and preuailed with all the aduantages of a fortunate Captaine For in truth he attempted nothing but preuailed and with the Centurion in the
were blotted with the spots of a guilty cōscience interlined with a strange manner of feareful penitency repleat with execrations against the cause of his misleading and terrors of his offence not without teares from his eyes drops of bloud from his heart and curses from his very soule in demonstration of his remorse with protestations of better conformity with vowes and dangerous oaths for his loyalty with confident assurances for his obedience and with all the cunning that art meanes circumstances and insinuation accustometh in attracting pardon This strange newes was nothing acceptable to her Maiesty For shee had rather haue seene his body on the ground headlesse then himselfe succourlesse and on his knees begging of pardon because my Lord of Essex had promised as much and out of her owne greatnesse shee scorned to bee so affronted with a subiect and naked Rebell as she might well terme him yea the Councell of her State had many times vrged the facility of the matter and suggested against my Lord of Essex by way of exaggerating his offences with this one slacknesse in the midst of his troubles so that now to take him to mercy after so much treasure disbursed so many subiects slaine so vntoward disturbance renewed so wonderfull reports dispersed so famous an action discredited and in a word the whole frame of her gouernment abused was an vnsauoury demand absolutely contrary to her expectation especially when shee had beene wrought to the permission of her copper treasure in Ireland esteemed the breake-necke of the Rebells designes and a meere demonstration of our wants in England But when the Councell vrged the necessity of the time the situation of the Countrey the fearefulnesse of further mischeefe the inconueniences of new troubles the threatning of the Spanyard the new intercession of the Papists for another inuasion the discontents of the Irish themselues for all these triumphs her princely disposition was ouerwrought to a reflecting commiseration so that against the customes of incensed Maiesty shee admitted of his prostituted homage and with some wonderment at the wretchednesse of Traytours and vicissitude of all things she gaue way to his restitution with directions to the Deputy to entertaine him accordingly so he made sute for the same and that it might appeare to the world she was an absolute Queene of her Kingdomes and howeuer Rebells might haue ttayterous hearts supported by forrain coadiutement yet could no subiect haue powerfull hands to pull the peace of her kingdomes in peeces or touch the skirts of her throne to disturb her in her established mightinesse When Tirone vnderstood that he must alter his compasse and turne his sailes to another coast hee then imployed his brother Arthur Mac Baron and others of the best of his family and neerest of his affinity as Agents of his peace and protection who diuers times repulsed when remembrance layd open his former exorbitant actions desisted not yet from excuses of precedent occurrences and forcible intimation of the necessity of his present actions nor left they out the true manner of his now penitency and all their willingnesse to make him as it were a new creature and vnite themselues in one combination for the acknowledging the superiority of England whereby at last that obdurate heart of our Deputy which at first seemed impenetrable was deflected and cast in a more gentle molde so that he appoynted Mellifant by Tredagh where Sir Garret Moore was resident to bee the schoole house of his conformity and place without other condition then submitting to the Queenes mercy to admit of his repentance whither at the time appointed resorted our noble Lord Deputy well attended for the better grace of his eminent greatnesse and the person he presented thither came also Tirone with some few Lords of the North a spectacle of mischance and terrour to the pride of man who supposeth glory and ostentation the felicity of this world or presumeth on wealth and authority the very poison of our best endeauours Nor was it with him as I remember the excusing Poet in his disticke touching offenders cries out Confugit interdum templi violator ad aram Nec petere offensi niminis horret opem For as the case stood his offence and fault was the more hainous and condemnatory because his Prince was a woman and one to whom he had diuers times been beholding for his life and in the doubtfulnesse of his first admission to his enheritances saw the dore of her treasury and magnificent bounty set open for him But to the purpose At the first entrance into the roome euen at the threshold of the doore hee prostrated himselfe groueling to the earth with such a deiected countenance that the standers by were amazed and my Lord Deputy himselfe had much a doe to remember the worke in hand For whether the sight of so many Captaines and Gentlemen whether ashamed of himselfe when he saw such a number of his owne nation spectators of his wretchednesse whether the consideration of his fortunes that had thus embased him contrary to expectation whether the view of my Lord to be his Iudge whom once he reputed to be at his mercy whether hee repented this course of submission and degenerating begging of life when a noble death had beene both honourable and the determiner of misery or whether mans naturall imperfection to bee confounded and altred with affliction depressed his spirits I know not but it was one of the deplorablest sights that euer I saw and to looke vpon such a person the author of so much trouble and so formerly glorious so deiected would haue wrought many changes in the stoutest heart and did no doubt at this instant raise a certain commiseration in his greatest aduersary After a while the Deputy beckned him to come neere beleeue it hee arose but with such degrees of humility as if misfortune had taught him cunning to grace his aduersity For he passed not two steps before hee yeelded to a new prostitution which might well bee called a groueling to the ground and so by diuided ceremonies fell on his knees beginning an apology for some of his actions but at euery word confessing in how many treasons hee had plunged himselfe offending God and her Maiesty how hee had abused her fauours disturbed her Kingdome disobeyed her lawes wronged her subiects abandoned all ciuility and wrapped himselfe in the very tarriers of destruction so that nothing remained but to flie to the refuge of her Princely clemency which had so often restored both his life and honour Heere my Lord Deputy intercepted his oratory with disclaiming all circumlocution or defence of the courses he had so disorderly vndertaken nay he would not heare a word of iustifying his dependancy on Spaine or admission of that enmity toward England withall applying some instructions worthy so great a Commanders name intermingled with reprehensions full of authority eloquence he admitted him to stand neerer and after an houre or more gaue him leaue
to be couered vsing him with honourable respect both at his bord priuate conferences and so within two daies brought him as a trophe of his victories into Dublin with a full resolution to carry him into England and present him to her Maiestie But now is the Sunne of that glory ecclipsed and the Diuine prouidence thought it meet to take her into his owne protection For after she had liued and raigned to the admiration of all nations and filled the world with the fame of her vertues foure and forty yeeres and renowne of life three-score and ten shee was ordained for a better Kingdome and the foure and twenty day of March 1602. went to take possession of it My Lord had notice long before of her decaying which peraduenture was an incitation the rather for the taking in of Tirone though he vnderstood not so much So this great Queene the Wonder of Time the Admiration of her Sex the Help of all Nations the Princesse of Fame the Mistrisse of Honour the Terror of Antechrist and the Commandrix of Fortune left her name euerlasting and dignity vnmatchable For beleeue it what forraine Prince soeuer more then to admire her shall striue to imitate her will but wrong Maiesty and discouer this imperfection that emulation is comitant to vertue and when wee cannot attaine to the transcendency of anothers excellency wee fall to vilipending the worth and malicious calumniation of the goodnes and heerein let England reioyce that the starre of dignity and fame of those times was set vnder her climate by her death and in her life she treasured such iewels of estimation that the storehouses of other palaces could not discouer or shew the like As for Rome and some defamatory inuentions of Spaine the poyson hath returned to their owne preiudice like him which spitting against the winde found his face besmeered with the reflexion For the better sort both misliked Parsons and other English Priests in their degenerating inuectiues and stopped the mouths of inferiours for once breathing amisse against her Maiesty which makes mee remember a worthy reprehension of Count Mansfield toward Captaine Rowland Yorke forbidding him some loosnesse of speech against his Queene and when he transgressed further in vndecencies of fault-finding both with the gouernment and life of her Maiesty in plainer termes he assured him that the customs of his table wold admit of no irregular behauior against Princes Nor can I forget Duke Byrons admiration who at his returne into France plainely diuulged that the Court of England spred abroad the coulours of Maiesty indeed and all others were but a heap of confusion and diseased mixture of vnseemely familiarity But this is a digression for mine own part therefore I will onely blesse her vnimitable renowne and end with the Poet O quam te memorem virgo Namque haud tibi vultus Mortalis nec vox hominum sonat ô Deo certè And so to our Irish businesse againe They which write of the nature of things say plainely which also experience confirmes that as there is a sympathy and sweet agreement in many creatures as beasts plants and diuers of that sort each thriuing the better by the others proximity and conuersation So there is a kinde of antipathy and eternall loathsomnesse betweene creature and creature and many times such an abhorrency that the very sight and intermixture of things breedeth death or other mischeefe Thus is it apparant in diuers plants growing neere the Eugh tree which either perish immediately or wither by degrees without any prosperity they which are skilfull in musique say that the strings of wolues sheep make a discord and will neuer effect either Diapason or harmony It is recorded that when Eteocles and Pollinices the sonnes of Oedipus were burned after they had slaine one another according to the solemnity of sacrifices in those dayes the very flame diuided it selfe shewing that the hate lasted in death which could not be reconciled in life and if in any thing it euer appeared it was and is most probable in the nature and condition of the Irish and our selues For though they haue beene many times reduced by conformable perswasion and as many times corrected by powerfull castigation yet nothing could detaine them within the circle of obedience or fasten them to the dore-post of loue and duty nor was this the errour and enmity of the North or as you terme it the wilde Irish only but the inficious disposition of the whole Nation against whom Tirone himselfe in the behalfe of our countrey hath gone in person as in the excursions of Munster Lease Ophaly Meths and Conach may appeare yea at this instant for all the backe of rebellion seemed broken and that this great prop of supportation Tirone was taken from them whereby they were past all hope of coadiutement either from him or Spaine yet did the poison of their malice and despight burst out into boiles and botches of deformity by rebellion against the King himselfe to welcome him the better euen the first yeere of his establishment in an vncontroulable Maiesty all which did questionlesse arise from an inueterate hate and innated antipathy against vs. Againe whereas no venomous beast will liue nor is bred in Ireland insomuch that Beda reporteth that in those dayes when the I le of Man bred a controuersie to which Kingdome it did appertaine whether England or Ireland the deciding of the same consisted in this to carry certain snakes and toades into the Countrey which if they agreed in the same and did liue would easily approoue it English but if they died and miscarried then questionlesse by naturall probability Ireland had the propriety wherein the Diuine Prouidence was much glorified that would not altogether ouer-poyson a nation with noysome creatures and beasts considering the people were bad enough of themselues and had their very blouds corrupted with the venome of malice enuy disdaine pride and reuenge euen against one another and against vs if it were possible the very stones and houses seemed to swell with mislike and grow bigg againe with the tumors of ambitious rebellion which more apparantly appeared in the treasons of diuers towns by name Waterford Corcke and Limricke who vpon the false alarum of S r. Iames Gouths warrantize from England for the toleration of religion went as freshly to masse as if the Pope himselfe had established his superstitious canons in the same Nor was this done out of zeale or indirect deuotion according to the simplicity of diuers who were willing to maintaine the Catholique cause but with fury rage and military directions these strong townes entertained a presumption of fortifying themselues against the power of England Whereupon my Lord Deputy was compelled to leaue Tirone to himselfe with a kinde of confidence of his loyalty and politique directions for the superuizing of his actions and in person went forward to the suppressing these insolencies vnfolding againe to his great greefe and vnquietnes the woond vp
colours of defiances which hee had supposed had beene layd aside for euer so that whole summer was spent in vnheard of hurliburlies and his returne into England procrastinated for a time nor was the busines so soone determined or the intricatenesse of this disturbance so easily vntied as many imagined For Waterford shut the gates stood vpon their guard and denied him entrance with his army vntill exasperated with the displeasure he read them such a lesson of martiall discipline that they well vnderstood a patard could blow open their gates a mine or battery ouerthrow their walls and such a Commander would not bee dallied withall when hee determined indeede to whip their treasons with an imperious authority and so hee proceeded accordingly pulling this high-looking head of innouation on her knees depressing the glory of their Maior and gouernment forfetting their liberties to the State and establishing S r. Richard Monson in the full authority of the city who most iudiciously for the time committed the keyes of the gates to the care and valour of Captaine Meres At Corcke they began more roughly demolishing the new Fort which was a building turning their ordnance against the castle of Shandon which they shot through when my Lady Carey was in it mustring their townesmen to the number of two thousand one or other with whom they resolued to man their walls and defend their ports and proceeded with a sauage immanity against diuers euen to the shedding of bloud that seemed to intercept or bee angry with their iollity and for all they had heard how Waterford was serued yet they durst say that Corcke was a stronger towne better manned and so well fortified that they knew my Lord Deputies preparations were not able to surprize them which hastned his speedinesse and encreased his anger so that they found their abused presumption quickly ouermastred and besides those which were slaine in the encounters my Lord hanged diuers and arraigned both the Maior and Recorder vpon high treason setting vpright againe both Shandon and the new Fort who at either end of the towne ouerlooke the same and can by this time batter their houses about their eares if they doe but repine or whisper against them From hence hee marched to Limricke but they growing wise by other mens harmes according to that good councell of Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum welcommed him that would haue welcommed himselfe and submitted to such directions as he enforced against them not without imprisoning certaine Priests and factious Citizens whom he detained in prison as he had done in the other places From hence he determined to visit Galloway but vnderstanding of their conformity hee put it in the accounts of true subiects and reputed her as a daughter of faire conditions and good behauiour notwithstanding he came to Athlone and wiping away all aspersions of rebellion as hee went he left them with fairer faces then they accustomed to haue to looke more cheerefully on his Deputy S r. George Cary the Treasurer at warres who enioying both places did proceede iudiciously in the ciuill administration as little troubled with any remarkable innouation the rest of the time of his commorance in the Countrey The next yeere our Deputy prepareth for England as made one of his Maiesties Priuy Councell Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and within a while created the Earle of Deuonshire with some donation of land and contribution of pensions to the eternall honour of such a Maiesty that would not let vertue shed a teare for sorrow that she was vnrespected comfort of all the monarchy that were the better animated to generous performances when they saw the Prince would regard them Thus is Tirone carried into England as the trophee of his former endeauours and victories But what a terrible reckoning the accounts of his treasons and vndutifull proceedings summed together euery man can tell which ouerlooked the same For the peoples hate as hee passed through Wales and other places was so enflamed against him that the women presumed to throw durt and stones at him and the spredding tree which couered him had much adoe to ouershadow and secure him from the malice and threats of such as railed vpon him yet with some adoe hath he safe conduct to the Court and our worthy King looking on him with the eyes of a noble commiseration quickly welcommed him with cheerefulnesse and as quickly by the fauour of Cyrus returned him as the Iewes to build vp the walls of broken and desolate Ierusalem so hee to reintegrate his estate repaire his castles and townes and settle himselfe in his enheritance as Lieutenant of the Countrey vnder the King and to gouerne the same after the manner of England By this time is S r. Arthur Chichester Lord Deputy who watched these parts of the North more narrowly then any other before him First because of his long experience and residence amongst them as being Gouernor of Knogfergus and a laborious searcher of Logh Con with all the territories adiacent Secondly in regard of the way open to the flourishes of peace when the Lords of the North saw such a vnity and consent of goodnesse by Tirones remission Thirdly in regard of his priuate loue in these parts to which was vnited a kind of feare obseruation of his vertue he had so demeaned himselfe before continued euer since Last of all by reason of straight directions from England to haue the Shires diuided with their orderly officers of Lieutenants and Iustices of peace euen amongst the meere Irish who neuer heard of such names and gouernment before to send out Iudges of Assise whose absolute authority was for the time supereminent aboue all others and to punish malefactours after our Law and fashion of England euen to the terrour of the greatest who vilipended the same or durst oppose against the inhibition to the contrary which when Tirone perceiued must be done indeede hee liued more discontented then euer and fraighted as it were with old stoage of malice and enuy studied euery houre how to cast off this intolerable yoake of obedience and not to suffer as he termed it another to sit Paramont in the tribunall of his Iudicatures So that according to our first simile of Cyrus returning the Iewes to Ierusalem you shall see how he kept correspondency in the same The Iewes surfeted of ease forgat their captiuity returned to lick vp the filth that their excesse had vomited yea so exasperated the displeasure of their great and good God that at last hee forsooke them indeede and stretched the strong armes of Vespasian and Titus to vnplume their iayes feathers and throw them forsaken ouer the world like dispersed vagabonds Tirone returneth home as you heard liueth at ease and pleasure surfetting of the same entertaineth his Priests hearkens to his Bards and Rimers is seduced to mislike this new gouernment denieth the Iudges of Assise entrance into his Countrey contesteth with the Deputy about the same although he euer acknowledged his worth and confessed that S r. Arthur Chichester had vnited many vertues to a Souldiers name secondeth the Earle of Terconnel in his repinings and alloweth of S r. Caher Odohordies contentions maligning our forwardnesse and successe when hee saw him lie bleeding on the ground and verily supposed that the burning of the Dery with the comming forward of Odonnell to forage the Countrey would haue made another Gordion to trouble all the Country again to vntie the knot But as God would haue it there is another Alexander to fulfill the prophesie or Oedipus to dissolue the riddle who with a sword in his hand can cut it in peeces so that these new Rebells are discomfited and such a blast of displeasure is blowne against Dungannon as the North-east winde that strucke the foure corners of Iobs eldest sonnes house and quite ouerthrew it to the destruction of the people within For when my Lord Deputy saw no other remedy but that Tamberlaines blacke flagg must needes be set vp the white and the red quite refused he hasted with fire and sword into the North and not onely tertified this rebellious Lord with all his Complices but compelled them to abandon their castles houses and inheritances taking absolute possession for his new Master the King of Great Brittaine and incorporated them to the Crowne so firmely and perpetually that no fine and recouery of their rebellious power should or could disanull the contract or frustrate the deed for England presently seased on the same and like a true Lord and powerfull Commander placed better tenants and diuided the Countrey into seuerall mens hands yea enfeoffed the City of London with such a right that I am perswaded all the Irish in the world or Irish Coadiutors will neuer be able to wrest it out of their hands Tirone being thus made the spectacle of misery by the incitement of certaine Priests flieth into Terconnell and contriueth with that Earle to forsake their Countrey and repaire to Rome where they might be sure to be shrowded vnder the Angells wings of the Castle S t. Angelo and blessed with the holy fathers entertainment from the affronts of all disturbance which accordingly with all conueniency they could they put in practise gathering together what treasure the Countrey affoorded and so with his wife and children Terconnells wife and young sonne and some fifty persons or attendants they shipped themselues and found sufficient friends and meanes to escape Thus like exiles forsaken dispersed and abandoned full of horrours of a guilty conscience vexed in soule by strange excruciations tormented with feare of being betrayed at home abashed at the shame of being entertained abroad and affrighted with the disaster of their lamentable deiection they are at length compulsed to hide themselues amongst the rotten reedes of Aegypt euen the Pope and his Consistory of Cardinalls as in their former determination where how his afflictions encreased and with what vexation of spirit hee eateth the repining bran of other mens corne that might haue fed on the fine flowre of his owne threshing I beleeue most trauellers know but am assured some tremble to behold the alteration so that for my selfe well acquainted with all his entertainments abroad and misfortunes at home as knowing him in Ireland and meeting him in Italy I may lawfully conclude Heu cadit in quenquam tantum scelus tanta iniquitas FINIS