Although there is no man that more mislikes that companies should he bestowed upon Irishe Captens then myselfe, yett when I find it to be expedient for the Queen's service I am bound in dutie to signifie my opinion; and therefore to encouradge my Lord Barry, who is now in blood with the traytors, since his losses when Tyrone was in these parts, I thinke it were meet that a companye of foote were bestowed uppon him; he is exceedinge poor, and stronge in followers: When I came into the province he mett me betwene Yonghall and Corke with 500 foote, and 100 horse of his owne; he is mightelye discontented, and thinkes that the state neglects him, that he is nott in the Queen's pay; there is no doubt but he is able to do great service; but yf he be not relieved, allthough himsellfe will remayne a subiect, yett then he will underhand niggle with the enemye, and lett his men be loose amongst them, yf he do nott worse, whereof I have some doubt. In like manner Charles McCartie were fitt to be considered of, who is of a sturringe spirit, muche esteemed of in Mounster, exceedinge willinge to do service, vehementlye importuned by the traytors with lardge intysinge proffers to ioin with them, valliant in his person; and yf he would be a rebell, there is no doubt but he were able to carrye all the force of Muskrye with him, in despite of Cormock MacDermond his adversarye, which is 1000 men at the least: his discontentments are equall to Barries, and, Sir, believe me I feare his courses will be naught except he be pleased: he is able to do the Queen more service with a companye than three of the best Englislie Captens in Mounster; for the pay of one band he will evermore serve the Queen with treble the number, &c. &c.
Your Honnour (by the opinion of all the Counsil here) understands that the rebells be 7000 good able men; the Queen's forces but 3000 in list, whereof dead pays deducts about 700, so as upon the reckoninge I have but 2700; of the which allowinge sicke and hurt men, together with willful defallts of Captens, and those that by deathe will be wantinge, if I shall be 2400 by the pole stronge, I shall thinke myself happie; of the which number I must be enforced, when I draw into the felld, to leave at Yoghall 100, at Kinsale 100, at Killmallocke 156, at Mallo 100, at Dungarvan 50, at the Castell of Caer 30, besides in other pettye wards, which must not be lost, as Lisfinin, Strankallye, the Old head of Kinsale, Wallstowne, and other places, above 50 more, and of the whole number which should be turned over to me, which should be 3000 foote, I do want 80; beinge employed by my Lord Deputie in Leinster, who as yett I cannot gett to be removed from the places they are in; all which deductions being added together there is nott remayninge to go into the felld with me by the pole but 1740 foote; which is but a weake army to sustain the force of the traytors, except my strenght in horse did overtoppe them, wherein allso I do assure your honnour the troopes are weake, &c. &c. &c.
James Mc Thomas with all the forces that he can make are drawne to a head to impeache my goinge to Limericke, and have amassed as muche victualls as he can make to tarry my cominge, which he should not long expecte yf that ydeott Florence did not necessarilye holld me to attend his pleasure, whether he will turne subiect or persever traytor, as he now is; yf the man hadd faythe or honestie in him he woulld have bene with me ere this tyme, as by his lettre to mysellfe, which I receved in my cominge from Dublin, and his messadges, may appeare; and the lyke may be judged by other lettres written by him, the copies whereof with these I do send unto your honnour; but my hopes are dead, and I thinke he will never be honest; att his owne request I have sent John Fits Edmonds twice unto him, not six myles from this towne; but his retornes are nothinge butt oathes, and protestations of loyalttie, and thatt he loves honnours and respects me as muche as any man lyvinge; and yt he will come unto me, but his feares do so muche prevayle in him, as he dares not for feare of detention trust me; to assure him, tomorrow, at his request, my Lord of Tomond clothe parlye with him, with whome he promises to come unto me, whereof I am doubtfull, expecting but delayes; for to say my opinion directlye as I thinke, I do beleeve that before he lefte England these treasons were hatched! which yf they were, then is he past recoverye; but yf it be no more then he pretends, which is parlyinge and patchinge with Tyrone to save his countrye from spoyle, and fighting against Her Majestie's forces betwene Kinsale and Corke, there is no doubt but he will be reduced.
The maner of that fight I have at lardge discoursed in Sir Wallter Raleghe's letre, which I have sent unsealed unto you; the enemye lost 98, and we but 8 persons: yet notwithstandinge I am exceedinge sorrye that Sir Henry Poore did command the jorney, for now he cann alleadge nothinge else to cause him to feare to come att me but because he was in the filld with his collors flyinge against Her Majesties forces.
Florence himsellfe is in nature a coward, and as muche addicted to his ease as any man lyvinge, and therefore unmeet to be a rebell, which makes me glad, yt he is the chiefe commander of Carbrye and Desmond forces, for yf he were gone his wyfe's bastard brother would be farre worse then he. He hathe required my oathe that he may come, and go safe from me, which my Lord of Tomond, in my behallfe, will sweare unto him; when he required John Fits Edmonds to aske the same of me I do thinke att that tyme he did purpose to see me; but his feares do so abound as I have no hope of his cominge. Yf by no meanes he may be assured to the state, yett I thinke itt nott amysse to temporise with him, and to permitt him to be newtrall which I suppose he chieflye desires; beinge att all tymes readye to ioin with Spaniards, yf they come, or to retourne to be a subiect yf the rebells prevayle nott; by this temporizinge course, I shall spare 1000 men of my 3000, towards the prosecution of James McThomas, for lesse than 1500 is to little to prosecute Florence; to undertake bothe together I cannott; and therefore, unlesse I be otherwise commanded out of England, I will temporize with Florence, and prosecute the other, whose kingdome I hope, in a reasonable tyme, will be dissolved. Florence since my cominge into this province did never write unto me, which makes me to mistrust him the more.
The white knight hathe sent sundrye messendgers unto me promisinge to be an honest man: A more faythlesse man never lyved upon the earthe, &c. &c. If anythinge do move him to keepe his promise, and to come unto me, it is the internall malice between James McThomas and him, which is irreconciliable, &c. The Bushopp of Cashell is busilye workinge. Within a few days that stratagem will either take effect or fayle; but I have two more as good or better then that; I hope att last, yf the divell be not his good Master, but one will hitt, &c. &c.