Right Honourable.Such is my hopeless and healthless state, (being in a consumption that with extreme pain weakened me and will shortly end my life) as I had not troubled your Lordship if it were not for this gent Mr. Halbert Pelham, unto whom (in my first trouble here) I leased certain lands which my father that purchased, and myself enjoyed quietly above 50 years, as Mr. Pelham did these 16 years, until my long trouble and the general opinion of the continuance thereof until my life be lost, encouraged the Lord Coursie to dispossess him wrongfully of the castle of Rinroin, and 5 or 6 ploughlands; by whose example the Lord Barry (that now, in my trouble, dispossesst me wrongfully of other lands) endeavours to dispossess Mr. Pelham also of 7 ploughlands, without any more right or colour than the Lord Coursie had to Rinroin, which was, above 50 years past, sold to my father, and afterwards to myself by Gareth, the old Lord Coursie that sold the rest of his lands to the merchants of Kinsale, and others whereof none is dispossessed but we; which lands he doth not challenge for any defect in the purchase, nor as heir to the old Lord Coursie — for if he were a lawful heir the title had not been denied him, for the which he was driven to procure a new creation — and having no colour to the lands, Sir Richard Boyle (that brought me to all this trouble) taught him one of his tricks, wherewith he gets whole countries there; which was to get a grant of the said old Lord Coursie's intrusions, that died about 10 or 12 years past when he was above 100 year old, and being of good years succeeded his father at such a time as no man's livery was sued for, when there was neither sheriff, nor justice in Mounster; but every lord governing his own country; which device avails not much against others more than to trouble them, until they agree to give him some little composition; as of late, one Geoffrey Gallwey a merchant of Kinsale, that hath as much of that land as I or thereabouts, agreed with him for £22, 10shillings.
The Lord Barry's challenge being idler; who upon a lease of concealed lands that he had, got some of his own people and followers, that he empanneled, to find an office for the attainder of one Fynyn McOwen, that at the very first coining of the rebellion into Mounster was killed by some of the rebels; under colour of which office he disinherited his poor children; and challenges my land, and Mr. Pelham's; which if any will say that Fynyn McOwen, or any for him, did ever hold, enjoy our challenge, we are contented to loose it; being about 60 years past, bought by my father; and possessed by him, and by me, ever since; whereunto if Fynyn McOwen or any other had any challenge, no doubt but Mr. Pelham should understand thereof in 16 years that he enjoyed it; which being truly the state of his cause, I hope your Lordship will further him to such letters as may establish, and maintain him in the possession of his right.
Touching myself, although I am like to end my life here now, it could never appear in 7 years that I have been restrained, that ever I had anything to do with any foreign nation, or favoured the rebels which I did rather hurt by alluring some companies from them, overthrowing some of their forces, and recovering the strongest country they had; and although Captain Flowre (by burning my castles, killing my tenants, taking away 1400 cows, and following me 30 miles) constrained me to fight with him some 10 days before the Lord Carewe came — which was the cause that made me procure a pardon — yet I came presently to my Lord and, (cassireinge by his advice those companies that I had) informed him still of the state of the rebels, assuring him that he should have no resistance, and caused my nephew to deliver him his castle of Carrigifoyll, that stood commodious to annoy them; of all which he informed your Lordship then, as appeared at the late Lord Treasurers, when I was sent over, where your Lordship confessed that I was good in the rebellion time; at which time, when I recovered my country, and was there without any pledges, hostages or sureties bound for me, who doubts but that I would then (if I could be thereunto persuaded) join with the rebels? which if I had, why should not her late Majesties pardon avail me as it availed them? or if I could be touched for any such matters, who can imagine or think that I would (at the late Lord Treasurers aforesaid, before your Lordship and the rest) refuse my pardon and protection, which I have still, if ever I aided, assisted or joined with Tireowen, James of Desmond or any of them, or did write beyond seas, or was privy to any matter or practise thither, or from thence.
Yet notwithstanding I have been ever since these 7 years restrained without so much matter as might bring me to be questioned withal, being first brought into suspicion — and letters procured here hence, upon informations drawn there by Mr. Boyle, and other informations procured by other friends from LoghFoyle, for Sir Valentine Browne's sons, that coveted those lands, which with long trouble, suit and charges I cleared here; and with great charges, loss and danger I recovered there, from rebels — and afterwards committed; when my tenants being spoiled of 500 cows by certain officers and soldiers of Sir Charles Wilmott's, the Lord Carewe was thereupon wrought to give me some hard speeches, and (upon an imagination or fear of any discontentment for those spoils and speeches) persuaded by Sir Charles, and Boyle, to commit me; but no cause nor colour could be had for it; until one Blake of Cork a tailor that dwells here in London, was brought to complain of me for a challenge of £22 for the which he committed me; Boyle, that could do most with him, persuaded him to send me hither, and to write still against me; at whose coming over, being at Boyle's instigation incensed against me for clearing myself to discredit him, as he said, he was also aggravated against me by the wicked woman that was my wife! whom I saw not, nor could abide in almost a year before my commitment; who being wrought, and recommended hither against me, came to me to the Fleet, and desired to stay with me; which when I refused, she made my Lord Carewe believe that I railed of him, and all his friends, and caused him to get me sent hither; although I spake not, (as God judge me) of any of them, as she confessed to some afterwards; and having gotten this gent Mr. Pelham to deal with his Lordship, his answer to my letter was, 'that he so misliked my justifications as I should never have liberty, before I confessed my faults and submitted myself;' which if I would do, he would further my delivery; yet being still followed by my sister, and friends, he was in the end reasonable-well contented, which when Boyle that was here, perceived, he came to the Marshalsea to see me, and told me my Lord Carew was my friend, and that I should be discharged; but if himself were mine enemy he said he had some of my country that could accuse me: to whom when I said there was none that ever said, or could say so, and defied him to find any, he made my Lord Carew believe that I stood upon such defiance and terms to clear and justify myself, as I would utterly discredit him if I were enlarged; and there withal he, and Thomas Browne, Sir Valentine's youngest son, devised letters here from some undertakers and others that were in Ireland, against my liberty, which Browne preferred to the Council; of which device I never had intelligence until some of them in Ireland (unto whom they did write to acknowledge those letters) sent me word, to clear themselves thereof; by which devices my liberty was then crossed, and the Lord Carew so incensed against me ever since, as when Sir Thomas Vavasour obtained of your Lordship to further me to liberty, upon good sureties to continue within 10 or 12 miles of this city, my Lord Carew got the Lord Chamberlain to charge Sir Thomas Vavasour to give it over.
And to find some matter against me Captain Nuce came to offer me money from Coronell Jaques that he did owe me; which when I refused, one John Mathewes came in July last to offer me liberty for money, and to persuade me to write to Jaques for that money, who (when I refused, and offered what money my friends in Ireland could make up, and to stay here until they paid it) gave me over; whereof (when in September after, news came of Tireowen's running away,) a matter was made to get me sent hither, where being restrained without sight of the air ever since, I am fallen so diseased as my life shall be shortly lost, that will more prejudice Hiss Majesty and the State than myself, because I can do them such service as none else of all Ireland can do, or hath such means to do as I have, which I hope will move your Lordship to preserve my life; for the which is no hope nor help except it proceed of your Lordships honourable inclination, and consideration ; for if any do go about to speak for me, whosoever can do most with him shall be wrought to charge and persuade him to give it over; neither is there any (in respect of your Lordship's former favour toward me) that I had rather be beholden unto for my life than unto your Lordship; at whose hands I will both deserve it well, with the service that I can do now, and rest ever ready to perform therewith what may be acceptable and beneficial unto your honourable Lordship.
My humble request therefore is that it will please your Lordship to further that I may be confined here in such sort as your Lordship shall think fit, whereby I may have some hope of the preservation of my life, and recovery of my health. And if the informations of my adversaries, or anything that was inferred against me, brought me to be suspected or mistrusted, I have two sons, the one of 12 years of age, and the other of 10 years, whereof I will not only deliver one into the Lord President of Minister's hands, and keep the other to school here, or deliver both where your Lordship will appoint; but also find sufficient sureties besides, for my continuance within what limits your Lordship and the rest of the Councill shall set down. Beseeching your Lordship to consider that none other was ever tossed thrice to the tower and restrained 7 years without so much matter as might bring him once to be questioned withall and in the end turned to end his life, languishing in a close prison, much less any that no cause nor colour was had to commit him but a challenge of £22, as is known to all Ireland, and to all the Englishmen there; nor none that had the queen's pardon and protection was ever refused here to have the benefit thereof, which (although I have) can no way avail me, if my life be thus lost, which (hoping your Lordship will commiserate) I leave to your honorable and favourable consideration, resting
Your Lordships most humble and bonden to be commanded FLOR: Mc CARTHY.To The Right Honourable, His very approved good Lord the Earl of Salisbury, Lord High Treasurer of England.