It may please yor Honorr, Before I was entangled in the warres of Desmond I wrote one letter unto your Honour; but since I went thyther I never had so much time, leasure or meanes, as to write, untill I drew Donell Mc Cartie, and his 700 Connaght buonies out of that countrey, although he was baked, assisted and favoured by all the rebels of Mounster, unto whom th Erle of Tireowen wrote dayely, aleadging that I, with English policie went about to recover that countrey, which was the bak and strength of all Mounster, with the which I wold undo all the rebells there; yet notwithstanding all their endevours I scattered asonder, and drew out of the countrey, the sayd Donell and all his buonies, and acomplices, and was no soner retourned unto the countrey, but within ij dayes I receved Tireowen's letter, signifieing that he was com into Mounster, and intreating me earnestly to come to him presently; and writeing also to Carbrie O'Conor and the rest of the captaines of my buonies or souldiers, and to all th other captaines of his adherents in those parts, that, uppon paine of death (yf I came not to him presently,) they shold all forsake me, and bring me a prisoner unto him, yf they could; which (I protest) I am perswaded they had don yf it had not bene for Carbrie O'Conor's frendshipp towards, me; but yet for all that he could do, the captaines and souldiers, uppon knowledge of Tireowen's commandment, grew into an uprore, mutinge against me, and alleadging me to be an infidell, and a betrayer of themselfes, and all the rest of Ireland to Englishmen; wheruppon they all departed in a vengible, furious, humour, leaving myself, and both the O'Swlivans, and all the rest of the gent of the countrey there, alone to the mercie of Donell Mc Carthy and his buonies, yf they had the witt or valour to retourne; or to the mercie of any other men of warr whatsoever.
Which when I saw, and that there was no other meanes of saeftie, I followed them; and by swering that I wold then write presently to Tireowen, and (uppon sufficient assurance for myselfe returninge), that I wold go speake to him whensoever he came into the comitatus of Cork, I pacified them, and thereuppon wrote to Tireowen; and within three days after, Dermod O'Conor, a great commander of Connaught buonies, came with vj or vii hundred footmen into the edge of my countrey, and sent unto me eyther to com speake with him, or els that he wold com into the countrey to speake with me; which moved me to ride unto him, from whom I could hardly departe, or escape, by swering that I wolde folow him to Tireowen; whom in the end I folowed very slowly, for I made Tireowen stay a fortnight in the comitatus of Cork for me before I came to him, which afterwards made him say still that I ouely spoyled his jorney, and starved his people: before I came to Tireowen I had his protection, and got himself, and all the captaines and genttlemen with him, swerne to send me, and such as came with me salfe bak againe; which protection I do send here inclosed: at the first ij dayes, both he, and James Mc Thomas of Desmond, whom they call Earle of Desmond, with bishopp Mc Cragh, and Archer, were all very earnestly in hand with me to enter into their acton of rebellion with them; whom, I protest, I utterly refused; for I renounce God if ever, at any times, I promest him to do anything against Her Majestie, or the State of England and Ireland, but that I wold euer continue for Her Majestie, as I have allwayes don: which when they saw, then Bishopp Mc Cragh curssed me, and they all concluded to take my countrey of Desmond from me, and to settle Donell Mc Carthy there, and presently to distroy all the countrey of Carbrie.
To which purpose they removed the next morninge toward Carbrie, and stayd that night uppon the river of Kinsale, where I made meanes to all Tireowen's gentlemen, and people, to intreat for me unto him; whose fauour they obtained in som sorte, so as I might satisfie him for Donell McCarthy, whom (as himself told me) he created McCarthy More by his meanes; whereby it stoode him uppon in honour to maintain his right, and that I shold nedes geue him thaward of the said Tireowen himself, and Bishopp McCragh, which I utterly refused; for euer when I shold speak for myself before them the sayd bastardly rascall Donell McCarthy, came and abused me with vilanous words, calling me allwayes a trecherous deceitfull Englishman, wherein Oneyll did still beare with him, and doth still fauour him, and write unto him by the name of McCarthy, which made me refuse him as an arbitrated; whereuppon he asked me to whose arbitrement I wold stand with the said Donell for the Signorie of Desmond? I told him that I wolde stand to thaward of both the Oswlivans, and all the rest of the genttlemen, freeholders, and folowers of that countrey, who ever elected him, that was McCarthy, or lord of that countrey; of which arbitremet he wold have the umpireship to be to himself, and to Bishopp McCragh, or to one of them both; which I also refused; at last wee agreed that the Oswllivans, and the gentlemen of the countrey shold agree the matter, and that Bishopp McCragh, as one of the arbitrators, shold be joined with them, and that the sayd bishopp shold go into Desmond by May-day, and agree the matter, he and the Oswlivans, and gentlemen of the countrey; and to the end they shold be sure of my performance when Tireown were gon, they wold have my son as an ostadge; whom I promest; but because my pro-mese wold not serv, they wold nedes haue the best ostadges that I had, untill I brought my son; whereuppon I gave them my brother, with whom they wold neds haue a genttleman of good estimacion of my name, that was with me; which I was also constrained to deliuer; and therewithall retourned their forces from Carbrie, and consulted together how to take Kinsale; which when I understood, I wrote to Capten Bostok that was there, and to the townesmen, to stand well uppon their kepinge, and afterwards went to Tireowen, and tolde him that it was a most foolish oppinion of them that persuaded him to attempt anything against the towne of Kinsale, which himself, and all the Ireish forces in Ireland, could neyther force, nor surprise; whereuppon he removed, and went towards Kinsale, to view the towne.
I was with him still; and all the Mounster men that were there persuaded him earnestly to assault the towne, which in deade was reasonable weake, yet I prevayled against all their wills, and got him to go towards Cork; and next day he went a very great jorney, and the day after; and complained of me that I deceved him, and delivered him not my son, but my, brother, who ever tooke his parte; and therewithall enlarged my brother, and commanded my genttlemen to be kept fast by Dermod O'Conor. Dureing my being with him I dealth for Her Majestie with the best genttlemen of Mounster that were there; among whom I won the White Knight, and the Knight of Kierry, and Mr McDonogh, the White Knight's son-in-law, and O'Conor Kierry, who were all contented, at my request and entreatie, to becom Her Majesty's subiects; but the same night that I departed, O'Conor Kierries horsses being tired stayd him behind; but Mr McDonogh, with the White Knight, and the Knight of Kierry, were all aprehended, and caried away: at my departure he understood of my lord of Ormond's being afore him, which made him desire me to go further with him, which I refused; having told him that I wold carie no armes against Her Majestie, nor feight against my lord of Ormond for any other of Ireland, but wold feight with any other of Ireland for him; he desired me then to send ij hundred buonies, which accompanied me, with him; I told him yf he could send unto them, (for they were coming after me,) and persuade them to com with him, I wold geve them leave; but when his messenger came with me, I perswaded the souldiers secretly to retourne with myself; assureing them that they shold have nothing with Tireowen but blows, hunger, and travayle; which made them refuse to go to him.
And so I retourned, and presently I understood that I was taken at Cork, and everywhere els, for a rebell! which made me afeaid to go in, lest I shold be restrained; whereuppon I wrote to Sir Henry Power, unto whom I made knowen the necessities that constrained me to com speake to Tireowen; for God let me not live an howre, yf I had not com to him he wolde, and might as easiely as I can write one line, by comaunding my buonies to bring me unto him, and by comaunding Dermod O'Conor, and Redmond Bourk, or any of them, with his regiment of a thousand or twelf or fourtene hundred foote men, to go with Donell McCarthy and establish him in my countrey; which, as God judge me, they might, and wold do presently, and wold burne, kill, and spoyll, all my frends and folowers there; and yf I rann away from ther buonies myself, I had no other meanes to live but to starv in som towne, or to repair into England to put Her Majestie to more charges; wherof I knew her to be wearie alreadie; which moved me to elect the best course that I could take for Her Majestie, for I knew yf I had not com to Tireowen I shold lose the countrey of Desmond, which, with great paines, charges, and dangers I recovered, without any charges of Her Majestie; and which wold go nere to maintaine the rebellion of Mounster for ever; whereas, by kepeing myself in possession thereof, and speaking not one woord against the rebells, and buonies of Mounster, I shalbe able, whensoever yt shall please Her Majestie to set me to work, to do Her Highnes more service then any three in these parts of Ireland; which the councill of Mounster wolde not, nor could not, understand! for all that I could write to Sir Henry Power could do me no good.
Which moved me, within a weeke after my retourning, to com speake to Sir Henry Power; and within a mile or two of Cork, I came alone from my people, and conferred with him, and with Sir Charles Willmott, and the Marshall Sir George Torinton; unto whom I told that I wrote to the Lord Deputie, and to the Lord President, and wold go to Dubling yf I were so directed by them; whereuppon they sayd they wold expect their Lordships resolucion, and that my people shold take no hurt in the mean time, so as they they did not anoy none of Her Majesty's subiects; and yf I undertook for the whole countrey of Carbrie, that they shold take no hurt by them, which I refused to do before I had conferred with the countrey, because som of them were in action, and others that were none of my people; wheruppon I departed, and willed som of my people, that duelt hard by Kinsale, to draw home their cattaylls, and go duell in their houses; whereuppon Bostok first went to a castell of myne called Downe McPatrik, and finding there but two or three, went in and kept the place to himself, and all the goods and cattaylls there; and retourning to Corck, himself and Capten Flowre were sent, with Her Majestie's forces, into Carbrie, where they did nothing but burne two castells of myne, and kill as manie men, women, and children as they found in them, and burned as manie villadges, houses, and corne, as appertained to any of my people; takinge away all their cattayll, and so overrunn the countrey to Ross-Carbrie, and over the Leap.
At which time I was uppon my way into Desmond, having before dismissed ij or three companies of footmen before me thyther; and having stayd with me but one hundred footmen, I retourned, and met one hundred more of that countrey, which two hundred I sent to geve Flowre and Bostok som impediment, and divert them from going any further into the countrey; which when they understood of my being there, they retourned in haste to Ross, havinge not the witt, nor the conduct, to kepe the higheway; although the forces that they had, consisted of one thousand men, with two troopes of horsemen: Uppon the reporte of these forces going from Cork to spoyle Carbrie, Dermod O'Conor, who understood thereof, and had Tireowen's warrant to take som part of his pay, or buonaght, of that countrey, came thyther, with vj or vij hundred men, and encamped himself ij or iij miles east of Ross, in their way to Cork and Kinsale; he sent me divers letters, and messengers, to desire me to com and take charge of all the forces, and to revenge the wronges and losses which I received at the hands of Flowre and Bostok; which I refused still to do, and wrote unto him that I wold seeke my revenge otherwise; whereuppon he removed, and toke his way directly towards Desmond, protesting, in a great rage, that he wold, with all the buonies in Mounster, spoyle Desmond, and disposses me thereof for Donell McCarthy; with which hard messadge he dispatched my brother, with som of that countrey gentlemen unto me, and sent som of his owne people with them.
Which moved me presently that night to ride to him; whereuppon he retourned towards Ross, where he was before; where wee stayd a senenight; the Captaines remaining still at Ross, and coming foorth dayly, as yf they were marching away; at last I desired to speak with Sir Henry Power's liutenant, to know whether those forces were aucthorished, or appointed by the Councell to burne, and spoyll those lands of myne? or whether they did it of their owne heads? for I imagined because McCarthy Reogh gave Flowre a couple of horss, and another to Bostok, and that I understood that Flowre receeved som reward of my Lord Barry, that they were hiered to annoy me; which I understood afterwards to be so: the liueteuant told me he knew nothing of the matter; and so went away. The next morninge, betimes, the captaines drew out their forces, and marched, in all haste, towards Kinsale; at which time, all the buonies almost were gon for victualls, whereby there was not above four hundred there together, who took armes, and folowed them in their tayle, untill the passadge, or fery of Kinsale, and then retourned iiij or v miles bakward, where they met the rest of their people; and then they accused me, alleadging that my parley with thEnglish liutenant the day before, sent away the Captens salfe; whereof, I protest unto your Honour, I was innocent; for God is my judge, my mynd concerninge those forces, unto whom, the Queenes Majestie gave pay, was that yf they all were at my disposicon, I wold send all the horssmen, and footemen, with their furniture and coolors, salfe to Cork; and wold hang Flowre and Bostok!
Yet was I, by my souldiers, wrongfully accused and exclaimed uppon by every body of them, which moved me to rayle at them all, accuseing them uniustly of cowardlyness, and disobedience, and protesting that presently I wold bring them to feight with those captens; and with that, dismissed them to go to supper, and to arm: presently after supper, which being don, I traveyled that night over the river of Kinsale, and so through the countrey, untill I came uppon the way betwen Cork and Kinsale, where those Captaines came; at whose sight, they ran, in order, very desperatly uppon them, and overthrew them; their horssmen stood still betwene both, and were sore distressed by the Ireish shott; untill they forsook the place, and then they ran uppon their battayle of footmen, and made them runn away, out of order, killing a number of them, untill they came to a little castell, where, uppon a trench that was thereby, they discharged their shott at the Ireishmen, which did somwhat annoy them; and, supposeing som strength or impediment to be in that trench tourned bak; all the credit that I had being unable to make them retourne; and striving to constrain them I was myself shott in the arme, which made me retire with them; none folowing but vij or viij horssmen, which did them litle hurt, but retourned shortly; the Ireishmen being stayd uppon the hill where they begun the feight.
Of the Ireishmen there were xvij kild; whereof four were captens, and xv wounded; of the capten's side I am not certen what number were kild; for I told them not; but I saw above one hundred bodies of all sorts, besids such as died by the way, and at Cork afterwards. Within three or four dayes after, the Lord President Sir George Carew, and the Earle of Thomond came to Cork; at which time I was gon after Dermod O'Conor, to have the genttlemen, that Tireowen held as an hostadge untill May, for the performeing of the arbitrement with Donell McCarthy; which gentleman was delivered me by Dermod O'Conor, at May-day; from whom I departed presently to the Lord President and thEarle of Thomond; and uppon their words I came to them to Corck, which I beleve wilbe myne undoing! for I feare me all the buonies, rebells and Ireish forces wilbe uppon my bak; for my being here will persuade them that I am their enemie. My Lord President wolld have me deliver my son as an hostadge; which yf I had don, I shold not dare go out of this towne; for my chefe strength being my buonies, they wold be the first that wold lay hands uppon me; neyther have I any of myne owne men armed able to withstand them; besids that, without doubt, all the buonies, and rebells of Mounster wold runn uppon me, and kill, spoyle, and distroy all my people, and countrey, and send me a prisoner to Tireowen; or yf I escaped their hands, I shold [be] constrained to starv, or live like a begger in this towne, where Flowre or Bostok, or any of these universal Captens, or damned drunken felowes, for a nagg of my Lord Barrie's, or McCarthyes, wold knock me in the head, or murther me.
Which makes me that I cannott lose my countrey wilfully; for by God, yf I do refuse, my buonies—(I) having no meanes, nor charge of Her Majestie, to arme, and maintayne myne owne people,—all the buonies of Mounster, with the rebells, will set uppon me, and establish Donell McCarthy in my place; a thing that neyther myself, nor all Her Majesty's forces in Mounster, cannott defend; because the rebells are so great in number all aboutt my countrey; having hole countreys of rebells betwene me and every towne and garison; therefore I humblie besech your Honour to be a mean unto Her Majestie that I may obtaine my countrey of Desmond, of Her Highnes, in as ample a manner as my father-in-law, and ancestors, enioyed the same, and that it will please her Highnes, with som sufficient charge to enhable me to defend myself, and serv Her Highnes against all the rebells of Ireland, as forwardly, and as faythfully, as any other, and yf your Honour do not presently find my service to be more avayleable then any others in these parts, and heare all the rebells of Mounster or Ireland exclaime and complaine of me, I am contented to lose my liveing, charge, and creditt with your Honour! I told my Lord President that so sone as I had your Honours resolucion hereof, he shold have my son, and any ostadges he pleased; in the mean time I will the best I can, prepare myself, and my people, to be out of the danger of the buonies, and rebells, and take such order, as the Lord President shall understand any practice of theirs against, and shalbe advertised of anything that may advaunce, Her Majesty's service in these parts; but, I feare me most of all things, that because of my coming hyther now, all the bonies and rebells will sett uppon me, and drive me away, and that the foolish malicious Captens here will not suffer me to do Her Majestie service; for, as I understand, they wold now here go about to kill me, but for feare of the Lord President; and yf I be once driven out of Desmond, it will ever hardly be recovered; for it is so wild, strong, and unaccessable, all, almost, consisting of woods, steepe mountaines, bogges, lakes, and rivers, as no English forces are able to sustaine the paines of service there; yf through any former imputacion by myne adversaries, sent against me, for my parley with Tireowen, or renued now, any body there will suspect me, or beleve not what I write, I will uppon your Honours letter, and uppon yor fayth that I shall have no hurt, nor stay, repair unto you myself, to affirme what I write; therefore let your Honour rest assured that whatsoever yourself, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Sir John Stanop doth say, I will beleve it; and whatsoever you will have me do I will do it; so as I may live in good sorte, out of restraint. And so referring my whole state to your Honours pleasure, and disposicion; for whatsoever you say or promise I will beleve it, sooner, as God judge me, then the Pope's Holines. I humblie take leave, Cork, this 6th of May, 1600.
Your Honours most humble and bonden ever to be commaunded,
fflOR. MCCARTHY.