Sir,When I despatched all my lettres, and the lettre from me and the Counsell here unto the Lords, bearinge date the last of Aprill, I reserved the writinge of my lettre unto your Honnour untill the wynd served to embarque, which bare date the 2nd of May, since which tyme the wind nott serving. In these I thought good to relate unto whatt hath passed betwene Florence McCartie and me. In the former lettre of the 2nd of May I wrote that Florence McCartie desired me to send my Lord of Tomond to speake with him, which att my request his Lord was contented to do, the same morninge Florence wrote a lettre to me which I immediattlye answered. The copies of them, with these I send unto your honnour. After the Erle and he mett, and more then two hours spent uppon the oathes of him and Sir Nicolas Wellshe, thatt I had promised to permitt him to retourne safe, he came to my house, and as sone as he came unto me, kneelinge he humbled hymsellfe with many protestations of the sinceritie of his hart, and the treu loyalltie which he bare toward Her Majestie, desiringe me to receve him unto Her Majestie's favour, and thatt he woulld do her more service then any man in Mounster. After I had reproved him for his trayterous behaviours, and layd before him the fowlnesse of his faullt, and the monstrous ingratitude towards Her Majestie from whom he had receved so many great favours and benefitts, all which he coulld not deny, I tooke him by the hand, and ledd him aside, preachinge obedience unto him, and usinge all the arguments I colld to reduce him to conformitie; the Erle of Tomond, Sir Nicolas Wellshe, and John FitzEdmond, did the lyke; and unto us, in generall termes, he seemed as reasonable and dutifull as we coulld desire: the same night he supt with me, and the Erle of Tomond conducted him to his lodginge; for so fearefull a creature I did never see, mistrustinge to be killed by every man he saw.
The next day, which was the 4th of this present, he dyned with me: after dyuner the Erle of Tomond, Sir Nycolas Wellshe, the Byshoppe of Corke, Mr. Cuffe, John FitzEdmonds, and my sellfe called him before us; and, as at his first cominge, I layd his faulltes before him, challendged performance of his promises, which was not onely to desist from doinge yll, but to do some suche service as might meritt reward, which was expected att his handes, beinge so muche bound unto Her Majestie as he was; and because thatt my sellfe might nott be thought to deal slacklye for the queene, and partiallye, I did require from him his eldest sonne for a pledge of his good behaviour, and assurance of the services which he pretended to do, which he refused; alleadginge many reasons to the contrarye, pretendinge thatt the puttinge in of his sonne in pledge woulld cause the bonies to forsake him, and to erect his wyfe's base brother, and so dryve him out of his countrye to his utter ruyne; that he had of longe tyme tasted of myseries and wants, thatt he had recovered his countrye of Desmond with greatt travayle, danger, and chardges; thatt when he shoulld be a begger he knewe the queene woulld not regard him, and then he shoulld be unable to serve her, and therefore desired thatt his pledge might nott be exacted, beinge needlesse to be required att his hands, for thatt he was in his soule addicted to serve Her Majestie by all the meanes he might; whereunto all the reasons thatt we coulld make was used to incite him to delyver his pledge; when reasons coulld nott prevayle, frendly persuasions for his good was delyvered unto him; and att last, when nothinge coulld move him, I the president (wherein the Erle of Tomond was also very vehement) threatened him with sharpe prosecution, protestinge to neglect all other services, untill his countrye were spoyled, and him sellfe banished; which did muche amase him; and then he sayd he was content to put his sonne pledge for him, uppon condition, that Her Majestie woulld be pleased to passe the countrye of Desmond unto him as she had done unto his father in law, to give him the name of McCartie More, or Erle of Clancare, and to give him 300 men in wadges! which exorbitant demands was so muche misliked by us all, as we bad him be gone, beinge weary to heare a man so farre out of reason; and immediatelye we brake of, and the counsell departed, leavinge the Earle of Tomond, Florence and my sellfe in the chamber.
After long speeche debatinge the matter very seriouslye, he swore that the onlye cause why he was loathe to delyver his sonne, was as he before alleadged, the present losse of his countrye, which he knew woulld be taken out of his possession, yf he were reconciled to the state, and not want of dutie to Her Majestie; thatt he woulld write by this dispatche into England unto your Honnour, humblye to pray you to be a meane for the passinge of Desmond unto him, with the title of Mc Cartie More, or Erle; as for a chardge he woulld not require itt before he did deserve the same, by some service that might merritt so great a favour; which yf he might obtayne, he woulld nott doubt but in a shorte tyme to be the best instrument for the finishinge of the warre in Mounster; I tolld him his courses were nought; and thatt I woulld nott give him any assistance in the same, being more meet for him to entreat mercye for his offences, then to be so insolent in demandinge of reward; and did beat downe his pride (which is incredible) as muche as I coulld; in the end I demaunded of him whatt his purposes were yf he did nott prevayle in his desires? he sware unto me, uppon a booke, thatt he woulld never beare armes agaynst Her Majesties forces, except he were assallted in Desmond! and thatt all his followers shoulld likewyse abstayne from actuall rebellion; but his bonies were more att the commandment of Dermond O'Connor than of himsellfe, and therefore whensoever Dermond woulld send for them he coulld not restrayne them; he likewyse did swere unto me thatt whensover I did send for him, uppon my word, thatt he woulld come unto me; and in the meane tyme he woulld evermore send me intellygence of the rebells' proceedings, and do me the best underhand service he coulld, and for testimonye of his obedience, he would att any tyme when your Honnour pleasethe to send for him (uppon your faythfull promyse thatt he shall nott be a prisoner, for he sayethe thatt he will rather ruine any fortune then to be detayned), go into England, to make knowne unto you his sincere meaninge.
This is all yt passed between us; and more then to be a neutrall he would nott promise! or could be exacted from him! Of his goinge into England I woulld be glad that your Honnour would make tryall; which I do nott beleeve that he will performe, for the which he sware uppon a Pius Quintus, for uppon no other booke the Erle woulld believe him. He protests thatt for his particular he dothe nott expect the ayde of Spaniards, althoughe Tyrone in a lettre very latelye did assure him thatt they woulld be here presentlye; he confessethe thatt he knowes thatt att the last the Queene must, and will prevayle in Ireland; but yett he had rather dye then to be a beggar agayne, to feele the wants he hathe done, which he is sure to do yf he be reconcyled; but these excuses are but devices to draw the queene to yelld to his demands; thinkinge thatt the tyme serves, for rebels to obtayne whattsoever they aske; but herein I hope his pollycye shall fayle him; for I have as muche from him as I desire, which is to have no cause to employe any part of Her Majesties forces against him; for by his oathe he is bound nott to serve agaynst us, or annoy any of Her Majestie's good subiects; but to lyve pryvatlye, in Desmond, and to keepe his countrye, which if he performe I shall be att the bettre leasure to prosecute James Mc Thomas; and when thatt worke is fynished, a few dayes will serve to humble Florence, and teache him submissive entreaties, and forgett to capitulatt ether for land, titles, or chardge. I never rackt my witts more to beat reason into a man's head then I did to him; but pride dothe so muche possesse him in beinge called McCartimore, that his understandinge is lost, and not capable of any reasons but his owne.
John Fits Edmonds is his godfather, and when he saw his foolishe obstinacye, beleevinge before thatt his credditt had bene able to have prevayled with him, in a great furye after many revylinges, cursed him to his face; in reasoning, persuadinge, and threateninge, a whole afternoone was spent; all the benefitts thatt the Queene hathe formerlye bestowed uppon him are meerlye lost; for the remembrance of his imprisonments onely remaynethe; whatt he will prove I knowe nott, beinge exceedinge doubtfull of him, thatt att the last he will brake his faythe; nothinge gives me hope that he will be neutrall but his extreeme cowardysse, and the small accompt which he makes of the Romishe priestes, raylinge att them openlye in the hearinge of all men. Yf this temporisinge course, which for a tyme I thinke good to be helld with him, be misliked, then I pray your Honnour to lett me understand itt; thatt I may beginne the warre uppon him; but as the world yett framethe, in my opinion, itt is good counsell to lett him holld a neutrall course, which att the last, will confound him, althoughe your purposes be to deny his petitions, yett for awhile itt were nott amysse (as I thinke) to holld him in some colld hope to Wynne tyme uppon him; and to drawe the same to more lenght, itt were good counsell for your Honnour to send for him into England; and in his absence I doubt not but to erect his wyve's base brother, who before his retourne will be stronge yenoughe to yoke him; but before I deale therein, I do pray to be advised from you least I may offend; yf the Queene be so gratious unto him as to graunt him his desires, surelye I thinke for the present, he will requite her favours with his best services; but itt will in after tymes make him to great, for he is heyre to Carbrye, which is a greater countrye then Desmond; and his foolishe ambition is boundlesse.
When I was thus farre proceeded in my lettre I stayed fynishinge of the same, expectinge these lettres of Florence's unto yoursellfe, Sir Walter Raleghe, and Sir John Stanhoppe; but he havinge not drunke wyne in many dayes before, to put care awaye, so filled his skynne with sacke as the whole daye was loste in sleepe; this day better remembring himsellfe he brought me these three letters unsealed, and gave them unto me to read; which varyes nothinge from his former lettres to me and others; but I do nott geve credditt unto them, or to any thinge he sayes; for my intelligences assures me thatt underhand he combynes with the rebells as firmely as he may; and yett his oathes are to the contrarye. The report of the fight betwene Her Majesties forces and him is fallse; lett your Honnour beleeve whatt I have wrotten to Sir Walter Raleghe, which is a true narration of thatt daye's service, testified under a discreet Irishemans hand, who did view the bodies. This day I find him more tractable then before, gevinge me some good hope thatt he will delyver his sonne, presentlye, pleadge into my handes; but such is his inconsistancie as I dare nott trust him, for his feares on ether side do so besiedge him as he cannot well resollve whether it were good for him to be a subiect or a rebell; and to say my opinion of him he is good for nether of them bothe. Yf I were assured thatt he woulld keepe his promise with me, and do me underhand service as he protests, I coulld then be more gladd of his wallkinge in the woodes then in the citye of Corke; but cowards are faythlesse and so I think I shall find him. But howsoever he deale with me I doubt not but to make some advantadge of him, and fight with him att his owne weapon, so as he shall nott overreache me. The White Knight hathe sent this day a messendger unto me with faythfull promise to submit himsellfe, so as he may be pardoned for his lyfe, and goodes restored in blood, have his lands by a new graunt from Her Majestie, and forgeven the arrearadge of his rents due uppon him since the rebellion; all which, because they are nott unreasonable demands, and suche as are nether unprofitable, or dishonourable to the Queene, and suche as I am sure att the last, when he hathe done more harme, Her Majesty will graunt unto him, I will be so adventurous as to promise them unto him, hopeinge that the queene will nott mislyke itt. The stay of Florence from aydinge James Mc Thomas, and the drawinge in of the White Knight, dothe in a manner free the countye of Corke; then my taske lyes onelye in Lymericke and Kerrye, in which counties, I doubt nott but to rayse uppe factions agaynstt Desmond and his brother, which willgeve a fayre hope towards the fynishinge of this warre. This bearer Capten Browne, Sonne to Sir Valentyne, and a cashiered capten, I may nott forget to recomend unto your Honnour's good favour, besechinge you to give him your ayde and assistance, yf he shall have cause to be a suter for the same. He is an honest man, very valiant, and thatt which I like best, one that loves me. So humblye rest at your Honuours service.
Your Honnours most humblye to serve you,
GEORGE CAREWE.
ShandenThis 6th of May, 1600.Lett my censuringe of Florence, I beseche your honnour be kept as secretlye as you may, for otherwise my credditt will be crackt with him; for nowe he trusts muche in my frendship, which I did unfaynedlye afford him before I sawe his follye.
The Lord President of Munster to my Master.