Since my last letters unto your Honor touchinge the mariage of the Earl of Clin Carrs daughter, thear have bean hear apprehended by Mr. Vice President's direction, beasyde Florence Mak Cartye, whom the Bishop of Corke tooke, The Countes of Clincarr, Mak Finnin, and others, whoe wear all comitted to Castlemayne. Mr. Sprenge, whoe apprehended them, had alsoe warrant for O'Sullivan Moore, whoe then was not in the countrey, but upon his retorne hearinge of it, repayred unto mea, and submitted himsealf to Her Majestye, whereupon I took order with him for his repayr to Mr. Vice President; mysealf having noe further direction for him: but in respect that it was mayde apparant unto mea that the Countes had don nothinge in the matter, but with the priuitea and approbation of the Earl, and that hea now maketh shew of the contrary, and wishethe the Countess troble and ruin, that by her deathe hea might aduance him sealf to som newe mariage, whearbye Her Majestye's right for Remaynder may bea impeatched, I was mooued both in comiseration of the Countesses poore and lamentable estate, and to preuent what I might, the euill that mowght insue of her troble, to beacom a Suiter unto the Vicepresident, for the enlardgment of the Countess out of that uile and unholsome place, and that shea might remayne with mea tyll Her Majestye's pleasure wear further known, which it pleased him to grawnt mea, whearof I have thought it my part to aduertise your Honor; conceauing, in my poore opinion, that the Countess, beaynge fair stroken in years, and without hope of childearne, wear to bea fauoured; and whereas she liued in extream misery, hauinge all this last year but 20 nobles allowed her toe mayntayne her sealf, her daughter and famelye, a stipend more likely to starve them then to sarue them, shea by your honorable fauor may haue som portion allowed her of her husband's liuinge to mayntayne hersealfe in som goode sort, beaynge the wyfe, sister, and dawghter of an Earl, euer of verye modest and good demeanure, though matched with one most disorderlye and dissolute.
Her affirmation touchinge the mariage is this (whitch shea offreth to proue by threa goode witnesses), that shea receaued a letter from the Earl toe repayr toe Corke, and thear to geau creadite to that whitch Patrike Galloway showld from him deliuer unto her, whoe thear gaue her to understande that it was the Earl's pleasure that shea showld send her dawghter ouer into Englande, or if shea thought not goode to doe soe, shea showld mary her daughter to Florence Mak Carty, and receau of him a band for the payment of toe or threa hundred pownde to the Earl of Clinn Karr in England: to the whitch she answeared that shea was willinge to send her daughter to Englande if thear had been any moneys sent ouer to furnish, or any fytt to attend her, or if any Gentleman of creadite had written that, at her cominge ouer, hea woolde haue had care of her; but to My Lorde of Clinkarrs care, soe unfurnished, and unprouided, shea durst not committ her, and thearfore enclined to the oother cowrs, the Earl puttinge it to her choyce: she protesteth that shea neuer harde that Her Majestye had forbidden the mariage, but had only denied to pass to them the lande. Hearof I thought goode to advertice your Honor, and that since this mariage I understand of another in hand no less dangerous, betwean Sir Owen O'Suilevan's daughter, beaynge the Lorde of Bear hauen, and one Donell Mak Cartye, the Earl of Clincarrs bass sone, whom the inhabitants of Desmonde much affect; hea is the only man in theas toe cowntres that leadeth a loose, disloyall life, shonninge all officers, and standinge upon his garde with some few followers, though doynge noe oother harme; it wear very requisite hea wear taken; thear is goode matter to bea objected agaynst him to cut him off, he will ells in tyme bread some troble; for in the first discents Bastardie is no impediment, and hea is a person both willinge and able to doe mischeaf. I haue euer bean of opinion that hea was to bea apprehended; the Vice President howldeth another cours.
It was prouidently layde down in Her Majestye's articles for the inhabitation of this prouince, that noe undertaker showld haue any bands of sowldiers in pay: I woolde it wear as well obseaured! I fear thear are, that to continew themsealves ill pay, can bea content to continew the province in troble, and I wonder it is soe quiett; for on the one syde the Gentlemen beaynge stroken, euill entreated, and abused, outrageous woordes and violent deads life and common towards all sorts of the Irish, on the oother syde the Vice President's sowldiers suffered to goe up and down the countrey, taking of mete and drinke and money for themselves, and theyr woomen and boys, uppon the poore people; it seameth unto mea the ready way to make the Irish weary of theyr loyaltie and of their lyues. Mysealf, accordinge to Her Majesty's directions, and to my most bownden dewtie, howldinge an upright cours of justice, without respect of persons or nations, and endeauouring thearby to reduce theas parts to a loue of justice and government, and to sutch quietnes and perfect obedience as Her Majestye should noe more nead to keap bands or garrisons hear then in Surrey or Middlesex,—feal and fynd dayly the mislike and malice that is borne mea for it; whitch as I haue toutched in som former letters of myne unto your Honor, so to acquaynt your Honor more thorowly with the estate of things, I make bowlde to send to your Honor what of late I haue written theareof to Mr. Vice President, and to Mr. Chiefe Justice, althowgh I look theare for little remedye, yeat to discharge my dewtie, and to clear mysealf of that suspition that myght bea couceaued of mea, I layd the whole matter before them, which I humbly beseatch your Honor to voutchsaf the perusall of. Amonge many defects I fynde in theas parts, I fynde none more then of a goode Bishop, whitch I wish to bea an Irishman, for soe might hea doe most goode. I hear that one Pattinson is a suiter for it, a most indiscreat, rash, and dissentious man, no way fytt for any goode function, as hereafter I shall make more clear unto your Honor. In the mean tyme I most humbly recommend unto your Honor my poor endeuors in these partes, wheareof sutch shall the effect bea as the countenance is that is geaven them; and without your honorable favor they must and will quayl; but I despayr not of that whitch I have ever found, and whitch I shall ever labor by the best meanes I may to demerite. I have sent your Honor, for a smale token of my most dewtifull goode will, a Goshawke. I wish shea prove as goode as shea is geauen with a goode hart.
I cease further to troble your Honor, and comitt the same to the tuition of the most Mightea.
WILLIAM HERBERT,
From the Castle of the Iland,