Elizabeth I: volume 173, January 1594

January 1594

Vol. CLXXIII. 1594. January—July.

Jan. 4. Dublin.

1. Sir Ralph Lane to Burghley. The late service done in Connaught upon the relics of the Devil's Hook, by young Tybalte Bourke, the son of Granee O'Maillie, by the Governour lately set at liberty, by virtue of Her Majesty's letters to him in that behalf written, and brought unto Sir Richard by his mother Grana. He hath by this means put in a good perpetual pledge for his loyalty during his life. This service whereby are cut off the relics of the principal heads of that sept of the Burkes in Mayo, with the former services done upon the same sept by the Governor Sir R. Bingham's several draughts within the province, since Marshal Bagenall's deputation to Captain John Dowdall to the managing of Her Majesty's forces against Maguire, and the like late service by Sir George Bingham's directions from the abbey of the Boile done upon Tumultaghe Bane, a principal chief of the Clandermond Reaghs of the Curlews, of the particularities whereof I sent unto you the copy of Sir G. Bingham's letter to his brother the 23rd of December, are universally acknowledged here to have weakened the sinews of this present rebellion by the strength of three hundred men reputed the most pernicious resolute rascals of the whole realm, all thrown off into the province by Maguire to come upon the back of the Governour, whom he knew to be unassisted of any forces from hence, if he should have engaged himself with him upon the province side of the Erne being at that time by the State here reputed so strong as that all Her Majesty's forces under the Marshal together with the Earl of Tirone and the rising out of the Pale were judged no more than enough to invade him upon Ulster side alone. Maguire is at Enniskillen and hath 600 or 700 beggars with him, and looketh for a great many more in the season of the year out of Scotland Autog. p. 1¾.

Jan. 10. Dublin Castle.

2. Lord Deputy to Burghley. The traitor Maguire weakeneth daily. Money matters. Autog. p. 1. Incloses,

2. I. Spanish news delivered by Richard Fitzsimons. The great Turk has prepared an army of 300 gallies against the spring for Spain. The King went a progress this last summer with his son to the end he might be accepted by the nobility of the realm. No preparation of shipping nor motion of any army bound anywhere. p. ¾.

Jan. 13. Dublin.

3. William Pratt to Henry Lyndley. His proceedings in the business of Lady—. His sickness for four months. I thank Mr. Merricke and yourself (Henry Lyndley) for engaging your words for mine honesty. I will perform the part of an honest man whatsoever envy and jealousy may surmise against me; and as sufficiently do my Lord and my Lady service in that I am employed, as any other whosoever he be. Both my body and mind are settled and affected to do them all honour and service. Complains against his wife. Endorsed: The copy of my letter to Mr. Henry Lyndley. Holograph. Torn and damaged by damp. p. 1.

Jan. 15. Dublin Castle.

4. Lord Deputy to the Privy Council. Maguire's greatest stay is the Castle of Enniskillen in an island in the great Lough. There has been a great deal of rain this season more than Deputy hath known. p. ¾. Incloses,

4. I. Spanish news by Richard Fitzsimons. Calendared above, No. 2. I. p. 1.

4. II. Patrick Morgan, Mayor, to the Lord Deputy. Jan. 11. Calendared below , No. 5. I. Copy. p. 1.

4. III. Robert Newcomen, victualler of the garrison, to the Lord Deputy and Council. Extract endorsed received 25 January, and also for the Lords of the Council. It is not mentioned in the above despatch, but in that of the Lord Deputy to Burghley of Jan. 30, we read that the passage was stayed by the winds and storms. Calendared below, Jan. 30, No. 8. III. The Cavan. p. ¾.

Jan. 15. Dublin.

5. Lord Deputy to Burghley. The wind has not been easterly since the 6th of Oct. p. 1. Incloses,

5. I. Patrick Morgan, Mayor of Waterford, to the Lord Deputy. 4000 old soldiers, 1,500 pioneers, and 1,500 mariners with great quantities of free pounced stones and lime for building sent to Blouet, in Brittany, from St. Sebastian's and the Passage. Report that the King of Spain has entered into religion. 1593–4, Jan. 11, Waterford. Orig. p. 1.

Jan. 20. Dublin.

6. Lord Deputy to Burghley, Has received his favorable letters by Florence M'Carthy. The Lord Barry has undertaken to pay to him his fine of 500l. imposed for his pardon in the government of the Lord Grey. Autog. p. ½. (Printed in the life of F. M'Carthy, p. 92.)

Jan. 25. Dublin.

7. Mr. Attorney Ch. Calthorpe to Burghley. Scruple made upon Her Majesty's letters concerning the gift of concealed lands. Death of Mr. Jessua Smythes, Chief Justice of Munster. Calthorpe pleads unfitness to succeed to his room, being now in years and of longer continuance in Her Majesty's service than any of my coat here of English birth, and my wife having been long sick. Autog. p. 1.

Jan. 30. Dublin Castle.

8. Lord Deputy to Burghley. While the other letters sent herewith, containing some Spanish advertisements, staid for passage by occasion that the winds and weather here have been so uncertain, and withal so stormy, as some being reported "to have wrecked," others have been afraid to adventure these seas, either to or fro, here arrived my men with Her Majesty's and your Lordship's letters of the 9 Dec. and your Lordships of the 15th of the same. Resolution of their Lordships to take in more of Maguire's followers, and for further proceedings with Maguire and O'Donnell. The fortifications to be erected at Enniskillen, Clonies, and Beleek. For the profit to be raised upon Fermanagh, as it is upon Monaghan for the maintenance of these fortifications and bridges when they are made, it may please your Lordship to be put in mind that Maguire as O'Cahan, with the spending of both countries is permitted by composition as urraghs to Sir Turlough Lynagh O'Neill, and that will be some impeachment during his life. It is a good caution your Lordship giveth concerning such of Fermanagh as are to be taken in, lest any of them should abuse the State, as some in Monaghan did. Man can assure nothing, but we shall foresee the best we may by pledges and other means that are to be used with those kind of men, although to serve their own turns they make little reckoning of those kind of assurances. As for those of Monaghan, I am well persuaded they do now repent their follies, and would redeem it if they knew how. You shall receive herewith the note you require of all the knights, English and Irish, that I have made. I did not know or think that any of them would have been disallowed there, for then truly I should have forborne to have graced any such with that degree. But I hoped I might have done as much as other men have done before me unreprehended and namely Sir William Drury who dubbed eleven at once in Waterford, whereof some that came newly then out of England and had never served before. But henceforth I will have regard to the admonition your Lordship hath now given me from Her Majesty in this behalf. Her Majesty's letters with the eleven Irish soldiers of Sir William Stanley's band I received, but not the examination that you write you willed to be taken of them, what friends they had to stay upon to keep them from wandering up and down the country. Autog. pp. 3. Incloses,

8. I. A brief declaration of Her Majesty's revenues with the casual profits estimatively for one year, with such defalcations as are payable out of the same. Under the hand of Richard Hoper, Deputy Sub-Treasurer. pp. 3.

8. II. Names of such gentlemen, English and Irish, as have been knighted by me since my last government here. Sir George Clive of Cheshire, Sir Nicholas le Strange of Norfolk, Sir Edward Denny, Sir Thomas Shirley the younger, Sir Walter Long, Sir George Delves, Sir Michael Molens of Kent, Sir Edward Kynerston of Staffordshire, Sir Anthony Mainer of Kent, Sir George Villers of Leicestershire, Sir John Hoiles, Sir Robert Salsburie, Sir Thomas Norreys, Sir George Bingham, Sir Thomas Maisterson, Sir Henry Duke, Sir Turlough Lynagh O'Neill, Sir Geoffrey Fenton, Sir Richard Shee, Sir Hugh Maguire, Sir Nicholas Deveroux, Sir Thomas Colclough, Sir Thomas Moore, Sir Edward Fitzgerald, Sir Ralph Lane, Sir George Cowley, Sir Henry Oughtred, Sir Dudley Loftus, and Sir Edward Herbert. Damaged by damp. p. 1.

8. III. Robert Newcomen to the Lord Deputy and Council. Pleaseth it your Honourable Lordship and the rest of the Council to be advertised, that whereas in part of a letter written to Sir George Bowrchier from his officers at Castle Enishe he is advertised that the company received no more victuals from me in December than 29 days' bread and 10 days' beef, butter, and cheese, with some small portion of beer and sack; and all the rest of the time they fasted with bread and water. I answer that they were not without beef, butter, or cheese to their bread "no one" day in all the same month. For first they received five days' beef of the beeves of Her Majesty's sent from Monaghan, in which five days they made a prey, and forth of the same they did by their governor's appointment take to themselves three days' beef, in all which time they would not suffer me to send them any beef, as your Lordship yourself can best witness for that when you were here I would have sent them some, and then Captain Dowdall would not suffer me, alledging that there was then some part of their own beeves left, and from the time of your departure hence which was the 15th of December to the last of the same month they confess I sent them 10 days' victuals, the which was as much as they in anywise had due, in that they were so furnished with fresh beef for the time before. Their want therefore in that month was only drink, the which how hard and difficult it is to be gotten unto them, your Honour and the rest of the Council who were here can best witness. But in this month of January, they have been something better relieved for that I have gotten a cott which is towed up the river which carries "in her" six barrels, and so goeth down weekly with beer. And although neither the weather hath been answerable for victuals to be transported without marring of the same, neither yet have I been assisted with carriages forth of the country, as your Honour appointed I should have been, yet I have hitherto sent provisions faster to Belturbet than Her Majesty's boats could well carry unto the camp, so as I have had and now I have some lying there six or seven days together for want of passage, in which time if they had wanted the blame thereof is not to be laid upon me. Hears that the Governor with the forces of Castle Enischey, and with the companies of Captains Sentleger, Willis, and Fuller, hath taken a prey of 700 cows from Maguire, and to-morrow he falleth down with all his forces into the lower loughs hard by Maguire's Castle of Enniskillen, where he hopeth to perform some service. Maguire himself followed after them with 60 kerne. 1593–4, Jan. 22. The Cavan. Copy. p. 1½.

Jan. 30. Dublin Castle.

9. Lord Deputy to Burghley. For his revocation. For every one that was amenable to law six years ago there be now six. Her Majesty's writs of all natures current throughout the realm. The hall is too little to hold the suitora. Deputy's age 69. Sir Henry Wallop and the Lord Chancellor to be justices. Prays to be admitted to Her Majesty's gracious presence with comfort in his last days. Autog. pp. 2.

Jan. 30. Dublin Castle.

10. Lord Deputy to Sir Robert Cecil. Urges the speedy dispatch of his revocation. It is God's good blessing that this state is reduced to that stayedness of quiet that the infirmities of the Governor, old, weak in body, sick in stomach, racked with the stone, bedrid with the gout, and disgraced with restraints, do not make it stagger. It is not good to let things hang long upon a feeble stay. I assure myself you desire me your poor kinsman as old and impotent as I am. Then I pray you, put to your best helping hand to deliver me hence. For if any thing will, it may be the air of my native soil, my delivery from a troublesome charge to a quiet repose, and help of physic and surgery, that is not here to be had, may prop me up for a time to be serviceable to Her Majesty at least with my prayer, and in some measure comfortable to my friends, whom I can love when I can do no more. If Her Majesty will not, there is a King of Kings that will ease me of all together, and that shortly, for nature can not long continue me as I am. If it had pleased Her Majesty to have called me home at Michaelmas last as her Highness vouchsafed in her letter in August before to write I should, I would have hoped through the goodness of God to have been free of these pains at this time. Your Honour's poor kinsman ever to command W. Fitzwilliam. Autog. p. ½.

Jan. 30. Dublin.

11. Sir H. Bagenall to Burghley. Has not received the letters of Her Majesty's gracious acceptation of his service. His want of money. Sterling pay. Autog. p. 1¾.

Jan. 30. Dublin.

12. Sir Ralph Lane to Burghley. Hears Sir Francis Allen has obtained the Seneschalship of Claneboy, procured by the Earl of Essex. The soldiers of Knockfergus and the North to be kept in pay till they may be transferred to Ballyshannon, Bondrowes, and Beleek. Rumour that O'Donnell will declare himself a rebel. His suit for the government of Sligo. Autog. pp. 4.

Jan. 30. Court of Castle Chamber.

13. Declaration of the proceedings in the Castle Chamber. The Bishop of Leighlin sentenced to a fine of 20l. and eight days imprisonment. Under the hand of A. Stoughton, clerk of the Castle Chamber. p. 1.

Jan. 31. Dublin Castle.

14. Lord Deputy to Burghley. The custodiam of two parcels of tithes here called the great and little Clanshaghes, being of the chattels of Jaques Wingfeld, were by direction thence granted in custodiam to his late sister, the Lady Newnham, for her relief, she yielding the old rent. Upon her death the Council and I did grant it to the bearer, Charles Montague. Henry Moile, her son, makes suit for the same as heir to his mother. Objection to that manner of claim. Autog. p. 1.