I received another lettre from your Honours directed to me, and the Aldermen, which lettre did contayne that your Honours were informed that the young Earle of Desmond whou lately came hither, was, with his company, very hardly intertayned here, and not well accomadated with lodgings, or other necessaries: the truth is Right Honour that upon his repaiere hither yit did not appeare unto me by sight of his Patient or in any other manner, what aucthority he received from her most Excellent Majestie (albeit I hold the favours bestowed by her Majestie uppon him a most rare president of her Highnes wonted gracious clemency) and where be hath landed at Youghill, he did not repaire to the Lord President, being then at Mallo, but came hither first, and therefore yt may please your good Honour to be advertized that I did feare it might be offensive to entertaigne him, or any other, not putt in aucthority by her Majestie, with any publique wellcome, at the gates of the Cytty, or otherwise, which is onely used to the Lord Deputy, Lord President; or such as are aucthorized by her Highnes. And yf Ihad knowenn it were her Majesties pleasure, my good will should never want to conntenaunce ani with that measure her Highnes would expect, were yt signified unto me by lyne, lettre, or otherwise, from my Lord President, or any in aucthority. But Right Honourable althoughe I hope well of the dispotion of the young Earle, yet I did feare thuse of some of his auncestors whou have challendged courtesies for duetyes, and soe might intangle this Corporacion with newe customs, which onely depends of God and her most excellent Majestie, and of no other peere, or person whatsoever. Yet for private kindnes there wannted none; for I assure your good Honour that the young Earle's officers did send to bespeake one of Mr. Skiddy's house, for some private affecton betwixt them, wherby I expected the same should haue bene readdie for his Lordship; but by meane of certayne provaunt and provision of the garrizons which was kept in the said house, the same was not so soone reddie as his Lordship came hither, wheruppon I entertaigned him at my poore house, while his lodging were a making reddie; and when he had remayned an houer or two in my house, his officers would not accept of the former lodging, and thereuppon I was fayne to lodge him at one Phillipp Martell's house (being an Alderman of this Cytty) being th usuall lodging of th arle of Ormond, and where Sir Warham St. Leger, here lately in comission, did lye; and the Lord cheefe Justice of England at his being here; and being of the principallest houses in this place; and notwithstanding that the self night of his Lordships repaiere hither, there came alsoe 400 of the Walshe soldiers sent hither for supplies, with the lodging of which th officers were much troubled, yet all his company which came to the Bayllies of this cittie to demaund lodging, were harboured sufficiently, and lodged without making of any payment for the same, neither would anie of them repaiere unto th usual Innes; and yf any were unlodged it was for waunt of demaunding the same of th officers appointed here for those causes. And concerning his supper the truth is I expected his steward and others had provided for him the first night of his repaiere hither, and ment to have entertaigned him to deinner the next daie; but that his Lordship came of himself with his trayne whou had the best provision I could affourd. And his Lordship being at supper complayned of the waunt of horsses, and he would not beleeve but that the cittie could affourd sufficient horses for him and his troupe, which I truely answered that all the horsses of the towne, except a few garrans for wood, were stollen awaie this last rebellion, and out of use: for that the cittizens durst not traivaile abroade, and withal I gaue him the best advyse I could, to send to the Lords and Gentlemen adioining for horsses; and his Lordship called for pen and inke to urite unto my Lord President: and I thinking that he ment to uriet by way of complainte for not furnishing him with horsses, praied his Lordship of God's will to acquainte me with his meaning, and that I would endevoour to see him provided to my power; and he said his lettres were for her Majesties service, and required haste; whereuppon I presentely dispatched them awaie at midnight by a messenger of the Cittys, and collected the keis, being devided among the Aldermen, by custome used here since King John's tyme, and I receaved the next morrow an answere, the contents of which I have dilligently endevoured to observe (at which conference Capten Price was not present) and that was all that past betwixt the Earl and me touching anie lettres; protesting before God that he never writt lettres to your Honour in my house, but wee did passe the tyme in meryment, and in no such matters of waight, which were to be used with gravity and secrecie. Onelie he writt those few lynes to the Lord President, sitting at table, accompanied with me, and diverse others after supper; and I marvaile greatlie that of such small and publique conference these matters were informed against me, as rather became mere indiscretion and childishnes in me if I were faulty, then anie witt or sense, beseemyng the place I now carrie or my profession of lawyer. And albeit it, I cannot make ostentacion of discretion, or of other sufficiencies fitt for the place I now beare, which was involuntaryly cast uppon me, being a burden of greate care and chardge, yet there is no waunt of my love and zeale to serve her Majestie, according my most bounden duty; and to extend my poore power to entertaigne such as are in her Princely favor, whome God Allmighty long may blesse and prosper against all her enemyes whatsoever! And so not doubting but the Lord President hath, and shall have occasion to make like reporte of my willingnes in her Majesty's service as occasion shalbe her ministered, I most humbly take leave.
From Corck
Your honourable Lordships a comaund
John MEADE