Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

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

Document 108

St. Leger and Power to Cecil, 10 December 1599.

Right Honorable: May it please your Honour to understande that wheare (at the request of Mr. Florence Mac Cartye) we presume to write to your Honour on his behalf, beinge lately arrived here oute of Englande, with Hir Majestie's lettres to the Lord Lieutenant, both for his father-in-lawes landes, and also for sum convenient chardge to serve Hir Highnes, which (by reason of the Lord Lieutenant's absence) took not effect, answerable to his loial meaning, wherupon he was enforced to crave our ayd and advise in that behalf; determining with all expedicion to employ him self for the recovery of that countrey, and for that, his owne people and followers (whereof he hath a greate nomber), are altogether destitut of weapon, and municion, he became suppliant unto us for the same; which (altho we knewe it verye beneficiall for the furderance of Her Highnes' said service) we could not graunt, by reason of the smale store here, being neverthelesse persuaded that the recovery of that countrey would be verye availeable for Her Majestie, and so much the more preiudiciall unto the Traitors, they having placed their chiefest aboade in that countrey, as their greatest strengt and fastnes, we therefore hold opinion that it were requisit he shoulde be asisted by all goode meanes, considering that he is (at this present,) driven to entertaigne some fyve or sixe hundreth Conaght men, which he doth not altogether trust. And so for the Tytle of Mac Carthy (which the Bastard Donell Mac Carty doth nowe usurpe, withholdinge thereby the countrey) we also think it agreeable to policy, to th' end he might the rather induce the countrey people to forsak the rebells (which no doubt by this meanes they will) to graze him with the title of Mac Carty, wherby he shalbe the better enabled both to obtayne and defend that countrey; in which we desire to knowe your Honor's pleasur, and even so recomending him to your honourable and grave consideracion, with remembrance of our dueties we humblie take leaue.