Right Honorable,I hold myself so much bound to your Lordship as I desire much, and wish myself able to make known my thankfulness for your favours, which I will rest readier to deserve with all the service that shall ever lie in me to do your Lordship, unto whom only (as I always seek) I must have recourse, by reason of the wrong that is now offered me for lands that my father and myself purchased of Gareth, lord Coursie, and enioied about 60 years, which, above 20 years past, I leased to Mr. Harbert Pelham; whereof he is now dispossessed by this Lord Coursie, who alleging himself to be the said Garrith, Lord Coursie's kinsman, obtained of the late Queen his intrusions, wherewith he vexed a great while the burgesses of Kinsale, and the other purchasers, and wrought so now with the tenants that held my land of Mr. Pelham, as he got the possession thereof without any resistance, and is come over for letters to surrender, and pass the same by patent. Also when my cousin Mc Carthy Reoghe (taking advantage of my restraint) came hither, with intent (by surrendering the country of Carbrie) to defeat me contrary to his agreement, and bond of ten thousand pounds, wherein he is bound to me, Sir James Hamilton came and brought Sir James Sempel to me, where (upon their undertaking to procure me my right of Mac Carthy) I entered into covenants to give them the one half of whatsoever they recovered for me, they being to pay me £100, and bound likewise by covenants to me that I should have the one half or moiety of what they obtained of the King's Majesty, or recovered or got of Mac Carthy, or by any means in that country; but when Sir James Hamilton perceived how far Mac Carthy was friended he brake with me, and dealth with him, of whom he got such interest as he intends not only to keep me from having anything, but also to dispossess all the gent, and freeholders in that country, together with Sir John Fitz Edmonds, and Mr. Walter Coppinger, and many English gent, that holds a great deal of land there; to which end he hath written over now to Sir John Greham, and others that are joined with him in this matter, to have the King's letters sent over unto him, with intent to join himself pattentee with Mac Carthy, unto whom he is by their agreement to give but 60 plough lands, with certain rents and cheferies, that he had in that country, which I thought good to acquaint your Lordship withal, being so restrained as I cannot resist him; although my right is apparent, as appears by Mac Carthy Reoghe's own bond, and by Sir James Hamilton's covenants; which if I had not, the Lord Carewe, Sir Robert Gardner, and Sir Roger Wilbraham, who are best experienced in the government of Ireland, knows there was never any country holden by Irish custom, that came in question before the state, but they gave their several portions to such as were best interested therein, to hold by English tenure, according to justice and equity, as was ever thought fit and necessary by the State, unto whom, or to such as your Lordship will think fit, I am willing to submit myself and my right, having here Mac Cartie's bond, and Sir James Hamilton's covenants, which I would show to Sir Roger Wilbraham, or to any that would relate unto your Lordship the state of my cause; humbly beseeching your Lordship to stay the King's letters in their behalf, and that I may have your Lordship's furtherance for the obtaining of letters to the Lord Deputy and Council, to make stay of the surrender and proceedings of Mac Carthy Reoghe, and Sir James Hamilton, until your Lordship be made acquainted with all, and until my cause and right be heard, and known; the rather that the said country of Carbrie is such, and the matter so great, as it is not fit that any thing should be done therein without your Lordship and the rest of the Council's knowledge; as it is well known to the Lord Carewe, who knows what a number of gent and freeholders hath their livings there, and what a great number of Englishmen are planted and seated there, more than in any other country of Ireland; which will breed a great deal of suit and trouble to the state here, and there, if Sir James Hamilton do get any interest of Mac Carthy reogh therein, which with the King's letters patents thereupon will be his colour to trouble them. And for the Lord Coursie (by whom, his chief friend against me, Sir James Hamilton wrote now for the King's letters to defeat me,) he hath been here with me oftentimes to offer me composition for my land; which I refused, and we have been since before the Commissioners, by whom our cause was referred to the order or arbitrament of two indifferent friends, learned in the law; since which time he laboured, unknown to me, a certificate for fetters into Ireland, to surrender my land, and take it by patent, and now refuses to stand to the order. My humble request therefore is that it will please your Lordship to stay the Lord Coursie's letters to pass my land by patent, until the matter be ordered by those unto whom the Commissioners referred it, or by themselves, or until he recover it by due course of law in Ireland, where I will send mine evidences to be showed, being persuaded (when the burgesses of Kinsale and all the other purchasers doth still enjoy their land,) that myself alone ought not to be dispossessed of mine, for the which the Lord Coursie cannot say nothing to me more than he can say to them, but that they are at liberty to defend theirs, and I so restrained as I cannot speak in the defence of mine, which encouraged Mac Carthy reogh to keep five ploughlands wrongfully of my portion of that country; and O'Donovan, and the lord Barry, and to dispossess me now in my restraint of a great deal of my purchased lands, that was all upon my father's death, about 35 years past, found by office for Sir William Drury, Lord President of Munster, whose ward I was; which office is recorded at Dublin, and all the land specified therein, yet the long continuance of my restraint, and hopeless state bred such an opinion in most men there that they think they may take, and keep anything that was mine; which I humbly beseech your Lordship to redress, by directing some course for what liberty your Lordship shall be pleased to further me unto; I have since my commitment as is known to the Lord Carewe, procured sureties, the Lord Viscount Roche, O'Sulivan Moore, and the White Knight being bound in great bonds for me; and now upon knowledge of your Lordship's pleasure that I should find sureties here, I have procured the Lord of Hode (Hoath), and the Lord Coursie, that is in controversy with me for land, together with Mr. Henry Hudlestone, (Sir Edmond Hudlestone of Essex, his son and heir,) and Mr. John Thrill, a Sussex gent, of good living, humbly beseeching (in respect they are now after the tearme to depart shortly,) that it will please your Lordship to appoint any to take their bond; wherein referring me to your Lordship's honorable and favorable consideration. I rest ever
Your Lordships most bounden and thankful to be commanded.
ffloRENCE Mc CARTHY.To the Right Honourable: his most approued good Lord the Earl of Salisbury, Lord High Treasurer of England.