It may pleas your good Lordship to understand the uniust practizes, and unchristianlike yt hath bein used against me by the Clancarties, since first my father had his signorye allotted him in those lands of O'Douogho Moor, and Coshmainy; the which lands uppon the Earl of Clancartyes surmises (after my father had drawne many menne over to his great charge) we were disposest by derection of Hir Majestie, notwithstanding his title was as good thereunto, as to any other of the escheted lands throughout all Mounster, which since, I have found to my cost and hinderaunce: for wheras the Earle produced wittnes here to prouve the freholers of those lands to be his tenants at will, which bare proff being accepted of him, we thereupon, by way of morgage, agreed with him for those lands, and Hir Majestie graunted us Hir gratious pattent for the reversion of them after his deceas; which morgage, when I thought quietly to enioy, I found many parcells of those lands possest by divers gentlemen, by vertue of estates made unto them by the freholders, and by law cannot be recovered from them; the triall whereof hath cost me very much; yea, and the Earl himself doeth detain som part of them by device of former conveyaunce from the freholders to other men, yet he continuing in the possession of the same; whereby your Honuor may perceive how hard an estate I rest in. Hir Majestie's title, which was iust, she hath not defended; and the Earl's title, which was none but fals suggestions, being brought to the true triall, falls out to be of no validity, to my undoing.
Besides these crosses his bastard sonn continuing still in rebellion, hath cruelly murdered my men, spitefully killed my horses and cattel, tooke praye of my Towne, and laid divers malitious plottes for mine own life, which other men thinks to be donn by the procurement of his father, to drive me, by the terror of such dealings, to forsake my lands; I iudg more charitably; yet may not trust him, for the like outrages have not benn used to any of the English inhabitaunts and undertakers that are his neighbors; but those courses, and God will! shall not serve his tourne (though my life be miserable in the mean time), for I have followed him through woods, boggs, rocks, mountains, and glains, with companyes of men, to my great charge and pains (as all the Inglish and Irish in the province can testify); I have drawen his followers from him; divers have I killed; and brought some to the triall of the lawe; and lastly, though my fortune hath not extended to the getting of his head (whereof I do not despaire); yet I have reduced him (being principally assisted by the good countenance of worthy Sir Thomas Norreys) from three score, to himself and two others, comfortles and frendles.
All these devices and wrongs, my good Lord, since I have borne their chefest heat, I am the better armed, and animated to oppose myself against any second attempt, if the like shold happen; but now I am enformed, and certainly knowe, of another course, which terrifies me very much, as tending to my overthrow, and may prouve no less daungerous to the rest of the undertakers, which is one Finin McCarty, who calls himself Florence, who by reason of the late trobles, and disgrace he procured to the Lord Barry, hath drawne such an opinion amongst the Irish of him, that the Barron Coursy hath, at his last being there, givin him possession of his chefe House of Down McPatrick, an auncient Fort against the Irishry; and as many as are his frends in the countrys of Desmond, Carbry, Muskry, Dowalla, have, as yt were, erected a common purse to further him to those great matters which he promises them, and assures himself. The Lord Coursy's land he enioys as much as was in the old Baron to give him. To be Lord of Carbry he doubts not of, as belonging to him by custom of Tanistry. But his great matter is to be McCarty More, which by one of two means he will seak to procure; the one is by his wife's right, which can be no more in hir then was in hir uncle's daughter and heir; this Earl's eldest brother, who never had any part of the contry allowed hir; nor indede had any woman before hir amongst the Irishry; the other (if he dares not seu for so great a matter as the Earldom), yet sute must be made eyther by his Father in law, his wife, or himself, for thre of McCarty Mores houses, the which if any of the Clancartyes be ill possession of, they will ever be in hope to recover the whole jurisdiction that McCarty More hath had in times past; and if it were but in right of those mannors, to whom the cheif rents and sarvices (which are McCarty's greatest living) were alwayse due.
The said Florence hath also brought over, upon his charges, one of the O'Mahownes, a pore man, and of no rekoning in the country, to serve for Kinalmeaky (the signory allotted to Mr. Beecher and others,) and upon recouery thereof is to have the one half, as is generally reported, and thereupon divers of Clan Donell Ro, Rosbrin, Clan Dermond, with many others from all parts, will deal with him in like case; to the great disturbance of such undertakers, and the Quenes fermours, as are planted upon those places. I protest to your Honor that the great reports that the Irish makes of him in Desmond hath kept Inglish away from planting themselves under me, and those that ar alredy with me are in fear that all there former endevors haue bein in vain, and the rather for that the said Florence and his wife having benn at variaunce, and seperated almost all the last year; the cause of there falling out, as she hath reported, was whither his followers, or hirs, shold inhabit my lands, which makes me somewhat jealous of the man; for I knowe him to be ambicious and subtle, a great briber to his power, frended by som great menn of Irland, who have procured him favourable countenance with som of great calling in England, an importunate sutor, and indede the onely daungerous man in Mounster, having benn brought up, and in league with James Fitz Morrice, Docter Saunders, Sir William Stanley, and Jaques; wherefore I most humblie entreat your Honnor (upon whose help I onely relye) to tender my case but this much, that eyther you will prevent his rising, whose present Estate can never preiudice anie of Hir Majesties loyal subiects, nor be able to better yt, without speciall favor to countenaunce him from hence, or else, if there be anie intention to rayse him, and the House of MCarty More (which by God's handywork is now utterlie extinkt) in the hart of whose countrie, most daungerously, I dwell; that you wold in compassion give me an honourable caveat whereby I may in som good time, recall me and mine, with our lest damages, from a place so perilous; and we (who ar a great many) shall be bound daly to pray for long continuance of Your Honors life. Thus most humbly craving pardon for my tedious boldness, I leave Your Honour to the tuition of ThAlmighty.
Your Honor's most humble and daly Orator,
NICHOLAS BROWNE.