Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

Letter Book of Florence Mac Carthy Reagh, Tanist of Carbery, Mac Carthy Mór (Author: Various)

Document 27

'Notes for Her Majestie to consider of', 1 July 1588.

The Earle of Clankertie that now is, corneth of thelder brother of that House.

The Lord of Muskery cometh of the Second House of the Clan Karties. Sir Owen Mc Kertie is, as the countrie saith, a bastard of the House of Clan Kerties, and thereby enioyeth the country of Carbery. Mac Donoghe, Captein of the Countrie of Dowalla, enioyeth, that Countrie as the third Sonne descended of the Howse of the Earle of Clan Kartie.

Dependers and Followers of the capteins of these Contries:—

1. To the Earle of Clan Kertie.—O'Sullyvan Moore, O'Sullyvan Beare, Mac Fynian. These are also of the House of Clan Kertie.
2. To the Lord of Muskery.—Teig Mc Owen of Drishain.
3. To the Lord of Carbery.—Sir Fynian O'Driscoe, Connoher Oh Driscoe, the Mahons, and their Septs.
4. To the Lord of Dowalla.—The Calahone, the Chieffe [O'Keefes]. The Earle of Clan Kartie doth appoint the Lord of this countrie.

Out of the House of Clan Kartie's are now lyving these that followe:—

1. 1st. The Earle of Clan Kertie that now is, who is without yssue male; he hath onely one daughter. After the Earle's decease his countrie is in Her Majestie to dispose. The Captein or Lord of Muskery, who hath two sonnes; and a brother called Teig Mc Dermonde, and Charles, sonne of Sir Cormac Teig, last Lord of Muskery.
2. Donell Mc Kerthie, alias Donell Pype, who is the right legetimate heir of the countrey of Carbery, descended of thelder brother of the Lord of Carbery. He hath two sonnes.
3. Florence Mac Kartie, descended of Sir Donogh McKarthy, second Brother of the Lord of Carbery, who is maryed to the only daughter of the Earle of Clan Kartie. He hath one brother lyvinge, called Cormac Mac Donoghe. (This Cormac was illegitimate; Florence's only legitimate brother was Dermod Moyle.)
4. Sir Owen Mc Karty, the thirde brother of the Lord of Carbery, is now Lord of that contrie, and hath three sonnes.
5. These that followe are allyd, and have matched with the House of Clan Karty:—A Syster of the late Earle of Desmond, married to the Earle of Clan Kartie. A syster of James Fitz Morrice was married to Sir Donoghe McCarty, by whome he had yssue Florence and his brother. Cormac Mc Dermode now Lord of Muskery's Mother was another Syster of the saide James Fitz Morrice, the Traytor.
6. The Lord Roche married a thirde Syster of the said James, by whom he hath a sonne and a daughther; which daughter is married to Mc Donoghe, now Lord of Dowalla.
7. The Seneschall is marryed to a daughter of the said James Fitz Morrice.

To conclude, when these great Lords of Countries, viz., the Earle of Clancarty, the Lords of Muskerrie, Carbery, Dowalla, O'Sullyvan Moore, O'Sullyvan Beare, being all Carties, and the Lord Roche, and Seneschall allyed by James Fitz Morryce to that howse, yf the match and greatnes of Florence Mc Kartie be not prevented, that Secte will growe greater in Mounster then ever the Earle of Desmonde was, and no lesse daungerous. The streingth of this house being so great there is great care to be taken that they may be kepte in such sorte as not to combyne themselves in stronger manner togither, then they are at this tyme; wherein especially care must be had that the mariage of Florence with the Earles daughter may be separated, and be cut off by lawe, yf by his demerits he hath deserved it.

Also, whereas Sir Owen Mc Karty, now Lord of Carbery, hath enlarged his possessions by getting the Lord Coorsies Countrey and other lands, it were convenient that Donell Pype's tytle to that countrie of Carbery should be favoured, who hath the best tytle thereunto; so neither of them shalbe half so strong as nowe one of them is. Likewise, where the Lord of Muskerry hath now that whole Countrey to himself, and hath enlarged the same by other gruants from Her Majestie, it were convenient that the tytle of the sonne to Sir Cormac Teig should be favoured, which Sir Cormac yelded up that Countrey to Her Majestie, and tooke it of Her Highnes to him and his heires; so, should the greatnes of one be abated, and be made equall, they will be opposite one to the other; and whereas there is Contencion for Doalla betwene two of the Mc Donoghes, it were likewise convenient, for the reasons aforesaid, that the countrey were devyded betwene them.

The Seneschall, Patricke Condon, Patrick Fitz Morryce, the Whyte Knight, are all suspected to be very dangerous persons, and nearer to be seen unto then others, the most of them having ben principall actors in the last rebellion.