My very good Lord Your lettres were safely delyvered unto me, which had assuredly cost the messenger his lyff yf he had ben taken by the way: and as for Your Lordship's doubt therein whether I stand fyrmely your frend or no, because it is so longe synce your Lordship hard from me, I am, I assuere your Lordship and shalbe euer found a true subiect to the Queen's most sacred Majesty, and a poore, true, olde, frende of your Lordship & as faythfull to your Lordship's cheifest frends in England, nether should your Honor misse to heare at all tymes from me if I had meanes to have any lettres safely couvayed or delyuered, as Yord Lordship may iudge by my last severall lettres, which I sent hyd or stytched up, in women's apparel; the one of which women went safe to your Lordship to Lymerick, by Mr. Marshall's meanes; and thother went safe to my Lord of Thomond, by whome she sent her lettre; by the contents of which lettres yor Lordship peeved my mynde and intention towards Her Majesty's service and thadvancement of yor Lordship's reputation; for I am sure your Lordship found no greater resistance then I tolde you.
Nether did myself, nor any of my people, or of all my country, assist or relieve any rebells, or others against your Lordship, as I promysed, mor then that my brother went downe to Castle Lyshin with the Kellyes, who promysed him, upon any good opportunity, to take away my brother in lawe O'Sulyvan More from Dermod O'Connor; for the which he stayed when the Geraldines with their Erle, were taken by Dermod O'Connor; and dyd his best against Dermod for the recoueringe of the prysoners, in hope to I recouer O'Sulyvan; and after the Gerald men were gott out he stayde ther styll, untill for want of victualls ther remayned not above 6 with him. At which tyme, I protest, I had ben ther with 700 or 800, and had recouered my brother-in-lawe but that I was sure you would be perswaded that I had gon thyther to assist rebells; but yf I had then recovered my brother-in-lawe O'Sulyvan, I assure your Lordship both he and I, or at the leaste myself, had byn at the Glynn with you, or at Carrygofoyle, at yor fyrst cominge thyther. At the recevinge of your Lordship's lettres now, I was (thinkinge lyttle thereof) ner the mountaines of Mangirtagh, to pacefy a mortall contraversie for land betweene the best and chefest Gentlemen here, therby to keepe them from kyllinge one another. At the fyrst I endevoured to prepare myself to ryde unto your Lordship, and had, I assure your Lordship, ventured it upon the soddayne, yf I had any good company of horsemen; for want whereof I sent to gather my people, for I cannot for my lyfe keepe many companies of footemen here a longe tyme together, in one place, for want of victualls; but must dysperse them into dyvers cantreds of the country; and before they came, I understoode that your Lordship's forces were come to Clan Morryce, and that the Geraldines forces were come over the mountaynes, the rest beinge gathered here in Kerry, and Clan Morrice.
Wherby I could not see how I might goe with any safety for my country or pson; for yf I had gone I should go headlonge, without any assurans for my safe returne from your Lordship, and the Erle of Thomond; and should go into a countrey far off, wher I had no knowledge, or frendship, nor place of retrayte, untyll I had spoken with your Lordship, or the Erle of Thomond; beinge also ignorant of the intention of the forces which your Lordship, sent to Clanmorrice towards me, who stood in my waye; and assured that the Geraldmen would cut me, and all my people in peces, yf they found me going to your Lordship; and yf they had myssed me, that they would spoyle all my country, and place Dermod Mc Owen, or some one of my name there, and wrytt, and blase such matters of me as I should never have my brother in law O'Sulyvan, who is at Tirone's dysposition; this also beinge a very comodious tyme for the rebells of Munster to alter and undoe this country, both by reason of O'Sulyvan More's absence, and the dyssention, and contraversie that is betwixt the rest of the chiefest men here. Yf it please your Lordship to sende for me at any tyme, when these forces of the Geraldines are dyspersed, I will not fayle, yf I have any safe waye to go to your Lordship, and to my Lord of Thomond, upon good assurance; for I will not trust myself into any other's hands, havinge alredy past 12 yeres in severall prysons. The nomber of forces that James Mc Thomas brought with him over the Mountaynes now is aboue 300 foote, (beinge 400, or well neere), and somwhat lesse then 20 horsemen. Thomas Oge ioined with him with aboue 200 foote, and 5 or 6 horsemen. Thus much I learned certynely of one of this country that was there amongethem. The freeholders, or followers of Kerry, I cannot certaynely tell what nomber they will make.
The Lord Fitz Morrice hath some 200 foote, or very lytle more. The Knight of Kerry hath 300, and abour a dozen horsemen upon the sodayne, and 100 footemen more within 3 or 4 dayes warninge; He is my cousene, and one that is allyed to me, and that I have wonne to followe my counsell; but the hard usage of my nephewe O'Connor of Kerry, and the takinge of his castle from him,—myself havinge pursuaded him to go to your Lordship, and havinge dealt with your Lordship, and the Erle of Thomond for him at Corke,—doth make a greate nomber loath to be perswaded by me; yet notwithstandinge, I have perswaded the Knight of Kerry, and he is sworne to followe mine advyse, upon cominge of some of your Lordship forces to Clanmorrice. I wyshed him to send all his cattle over the Maing, for he hath lands of his owne there, by my country; and yf his cattle were there I would be surer of his beinge ruled by me. He hath wryten unto me, whose lettre, together with James Mc Thomas his lettre I do sende to your Lordship; besechinge your Lordship: yf you have lettres out of England for me, from Sir Robert, and Sir Walter, and Sir John Stanhope, to delyver them to my nephewe O'Connor; for upon Mr. Secretary and Sir Walter, I dare put myself, or venter myself any where. I beleve I might better come to your Lordship at Tomond or Lymerick then here; for I would (whensoever you would have me) have you to geav me some tyme to provyde for the safetye of my country, whyles I were absent with your Lordship; for yf I had any good convenient place to meete my Lord of Tomond, I would go,—upon your Lordship's word in wrytinge, and my Lord's fayth for my sendinge safe into my country,—with him to Tomond or Lymerick; or ells if your Lordship, and my Lord of Tomond can dyrect any surer course for my safetie untill I had mett yor selffs, I will be ready to do it. At Corke I might go in my owne strengthe within 8 miles thereof, and within fowre or fyve myles of Kinsale.
Thus besechinge your Lordship that that I may heare from you shortly, with my moste humble and harty commendacions to your Lordship, and to my very good Lord the Erle of Tomond, I humbly take leave.
Your Lordship's moste humble and faythfull,
flloR Mc CARTHY.
The Palicethis 2 of August 1600.If Sir Charles Willmott do contynue in any place here, he shall never, I assure you, receive no hurte by me, nor by any of my countrey; nether will I omytt to afford him any succour that I may convenyently, if he be nere me, in any extremite.—To the Right honorable my very good Lord Sir George Carewe, Knight Lord Presydent of Munster, Geve these with speede.
[Marginal note by Carew—]O'Connor did never send, or come unto me, untill the Glan was taken, and the cannon in a bark readye to sayle to his castell of Carrgefoyle.