Florence Mc Cartie, once since I came from Corke wrote unto me a lettre of good intelligence, and sent me allso a lettre of James Mc Thomas wrotten unto him, to pray his assistance agaynst Her Majesty's armye, which Florence directlye refused to do; but now since my coming into these parts, he hath ben with James, and Dermond O'Connor, in Conologhe, not 12 myles from Limericke, and within 2 myles of Her Majesty's garryson att Askeiton. He brought with him O'Sullevan More, and lefte him prisoner with Dermond O'Connor (agaynst O'Sullevan's will) as a pledge for the Bonnaghts which he is to receve in Desmond; and is now departed home agayne, with intent to retourne within fourtene dayes with all his force, as it is reported; but to say treulye I do not beleve that he will enter into rebellion before that he heares from you an answere of his demaundes; but uppon deniall of them then I feave I shall have cause to chandge my opinion: the greatest suspicion that I holld of him, is that at his beinge here so neare as he was, I receved no lettres from him; nor yett do I hear any thinge of his sonne, whome he promised to send unto me. James Mc Thomas' direction of his lettre is 'To the Right Honnourable his very good cosin the Lord Mac Carty More! which title, before he leave itt, will cost the Queene more crownes then Desmond is worthe, and therefore it is worthye of consideration!
204972 found out one called Nugent, who promysed him to do Her Majestie service uppon the person of John Mc Thomas; he was imprested by 204973 with a horse, a pistoll, some munition, and £10 in money. Nugent, with a resolved intent, did purpose to kill him with his pistoll; and the same day that I had viewed Loghgier, Nugent and John Mc Thomas came thether; there was allso one Coppinger sometime a footman to Sir Walter Raleghe, unto whome Nugent did reveale his purpose, and promised him faythefullye to assist him in the enterprize: not longe after, John Mc Thomas departinge thence towards Arlow woods, havinge but onlye these tow above named on horsebacke, and 2 footmen with him, Nugent tooke his pistoll in his hand, tellinge Coppinger that now he woulld kill him; and as he was readye to shoote, Coppinger snatcht his pistoll out of his hand, and cryed Treason! Nugent spurringe his horse to have escaped, by misfortune his horse stumbled, and so be was taken; and within 2 days (after he had by Coppinger's accusations, bene enforced to confesse that he did acquaynt 204974 with his enterprise) he was fayrelye hanged; of whose deathe ther is no great losse; for he was but a protected traytor; and, I do thinke, he woulld, uppon the least occasion, haved relapsed.
204975 denies his knowledge of the pretence, and for my owne parte I was ignorant of it.
12976 hath sworne to perform the service. 1070204977 dothe follow it vehementlie. 204978 wolld willinglie impart the circumstances unto you, but I do forbid him, for feare of interceptinge of his lettres; for, albeitt the passage betwene Limericke and Corke is open, and free from any great force, yett the countrye swarmes with straglinge rebells, and neutrall companions, that robbe all the messendgers they meet withall to get intelligences. Ere it be longe you shall here more; for within a few dayes the event will appeare, beinge now brought to a periode, and I do verrilye thinke that itt will be effected. In the lettre which I have written to the Lords, I do more then doubtfullye speake of Florence; and in this, allmost directlye, that I thinke he purposes to be a rebell; but now I do in some sorte recall that censure, by the receipt of these enclosed lettres, which I receved as I was writinge of these; and for your bettre understandinge I must paraphrase uppon his owne lettre unto me. The first place underlyned by me is Captain Gawen Harvye, who serves in one of the crompsters (a kind of vessel having a crooked prow—Dutch) and brought money and munitions to this towne from Corke; when he came to Baltimore Florence woulld have had him to come on shoare unto him, which he refused, and to go aboard Florence refused; and so they never spake. For refusinge to come unto him, Florence calls him foole. The second underlyned he meanes Sir Fynin O'Drischoll; the third place Baltimore; the 4th the Erle of Tomond; the 5th the rebells; the 6th O'Sulevan More; the 7th Oviedo the Spanishe priest that came latelye to Tirone; the 8th the Queene; the 9th James Mc Morris, the famous rebell; the 10th the buonies: the longe Spanishe lettre your Honnour can bettre iudge of that then I; and, for O'Neale's, to ease you from translatinge of Irishe, I do send you the originall, and the copie unto you, Englished. What to iudge of Florence I proteste I knowe nott! for as he deales playnelye with me, so on the other side I know that he doth nott forbeare to do anythinge or to sweare a million of oathes, to secure them of him. Yf his sonne were in my possession I shoulld be confident of him; but until I then I holld him doubtfull.
Limericke
Your Honnours in all bands of love and service,
GEORGE CAREWE.