Mountgarret's fons, have killed fome of Cloncare's and fome of Tyrrill's followers, fince I contested with their father about fomewhat I heard fufpicious of them." I fhall mention one notable inftance of this kind of fervice, contrived and related by the lord prefident of Munfter himself.

998

"About this time," fays he, "Nugent came to make his fubmiffion to the prefident; by whom he was told, that as his crimes and offences were extraordinary, he could not hope for pardon, unlefs he would deferve it by fome extraordinary fervice; which, faid the president, if you will perform, you may deferve not only pardon for your faults committed heretofore, but alfo fome ftore of crowns to relieve your wants hereafter. Nugent, who was valiant and daring, and in whom the rebels repofed great confidence, prefently promised not to be wanting in any thing that one man could accomplish; and, in private, made offer to the prefident, that if he might be well recompenfed, he would ruin, within a fhort time, James Fitzthomas, the then reputed Earl of Defmond, or his brother John. But the prefident, having before contrived a plot for James, gave him in charge to undertake his, brother John. Accordingly fome few days after this, Nugent, riding in company with John Fitzthomas and one Mr. Copinger, permitted this great captain to ride a little before him, minding, his back being turned, to fhoot him through with his pistol, which, for the purpose, was well charged with two balls. The opportunity offered, the piftol bent, both heart and handready to do the deed, when Copinger, at that inftant, fnatched the piftol. from him, crying treason! wherewith John Fitzthomas turning himself about, perceived his intent. Nugent thinking to efcape by the goodness of his horfe, fpurred hard, the horfe ftumbled, and he was taken; and the next day, after examination and confeffion of his intent, hanged. In his examination, he freely confeffed the whole intent, which was to have difpatched John Fitzthomas, and immediately

• Pacata Hibernia, fol. 37-8.

upon

immediately after to have pofted to his brother James, to carry the firft news thereof; intending to call him afide in a fecret manner, to relate the particulars of his brother's murder, and then to execute as much him alfo; adding, that although they fhould take away his life, which he would not intreat them to spare, yet was their own fafety never the more affured; for that there were many others, whom himself perfectly knew to have fworn unto the prefident, to effect as much as he intended: this confeffion, being fealed with his death, did strike fearful terror into the two brethren; and although the plot attained not fully the defired fuccefs, yet it proved to be of great confequence."

Yet these fubmitting Irifh, who, upon every light fufpicion, were obliged to comply with fuch cruel injunctions, were eminently ferviceable to Lord Mountjoy in the profecution of this war. His lordfhip acknowledges, in feveral letters to the English council, the great affistance they had given him; and in one of them exprefsly fays, "That if thefe fubmittees had not furnished his army with beeves, it would have been in great diftrefs.' "Yet the commanders of that army often took their cattle without payment in ready money; 10 which," fays Morriffon, grieved them :" or, if they meant to fhew them particular favour, "they paid them in the new bafe coin, then made current by proclamation, in a fhilling of which there was not more than two-pence value in filver." "

CHAP.

'Morrif. Hift. fol. 115.

10 Id. ib.

Id. ib. fol. 23.

CHA P. XIII.

Tirone fues for pardon, and obtains it. LORD Mountjoy was highly ambitious of putting

an end to this war; an honour which his predeceffors in the government, had in vain endeavoured to attain. For this purpofe, he had received the fubmiflions of many of the well-difpofed Irifh chiefs; and, by fire, famine, and the fword, had weakened or ruined most of thofe who ftill continued obftinate. He had reduced Tirone himself to great extremity, having taken or destroyed most of his fortreffes; and (what perhaps was more mortifying to him) having broken in pieces the chair of ftone,' wherein, for many centuries, the O'Nials of his family had been invested with more than kingly authority. His lordship had narrowly enquired into the conduct of former chief governors; and finding that the principal caufes of their ill-fuccess in the reduction of this people, were their inceffant cruelties and frequent breaches of the public faith, he abstained in some measure from the former;

'Morris. Hist. fol. 236.

and, .with

The friendly and honourable manner of his receiving, and entertaining fome of the fubmitting chieftains of the Irish, may be feen in the following paffage related by his fecretary Morrisson: "The 23d of April, his lordship," fays he, "kept St. George's feaft at Dublin, with folemn pomp, the captains bringing up his meat, and fome of the colonels attending on his perfon at the table; to which feaft the rebels were invited, whom his lordship had lately received to mercy, under her majefty's protection, till their pardons might be figned; namely, Tirlogh M'Henry, captain of the Fews, Ever M'Coll Mac Mahon, chief of Fearney, O'Hanlon, a lord of Ulfter, Phelim M'Feagh, chief of the O'Byrnes, and Donell Speniagh, chief of the Cavanaghs in Leinster. Thefe," adds my author, "were entertained with plenty of wine, and all kindness; his lordship affuring them, that as he had been a fcourge to them in rebellion, fo he would now be a mediator for them to her majefty, in their ftate of fubjects, they ftanding firm and conftant to their obedience." Hist. of Irel.

with refpect to the latter, although he was not very punctual to his word in his private dealings, yet he found it abfolutely neceffary, for obtaining this great end, to observe it ftrictly in his promifes of pardon, and in all public matters wherein the honour of the ftate was concerned.' "He kept his word inviolably in public affairs," fays his fecretary Morriffon, "without which he never could have been intrusted by the Irish; but, otherwife, in his promises he was dilatory and doubtful; fo as in all events, he was not without his evafion."

By thefe means the tranquillity of Ulfter was fo far restored in August 1602, that the deputy told Cecil in a letter of that date, "That, except things fell out much contrary to what he had good reafon to expect, he prefumed, if the queen kept the Irish garrisons ftrong, and well provided for all the enfuing winter, she might before the next fpring, fend into Ireland proper persons, with her pleasure how much and in what manner every man fhould hold his land; and what laws fhe would have current there; and he was confident they would be obeyed. And after this winter," adds his lordship, "I think fhe may withdraw her garrifons, only leaving wards in their places; and if I be not much deceived, you shall find that these men will be the last of all Ireland that will forfake the queen's party; and I prefume, after this winter, they will do the queen good fervice against the Spaniards, if they

come."

4

On the 30th of March following, Tirone came to Mellifont, where being admitted to the lord deputy's chamber," he kneeled at the door humbly, for a long fpace, making his penitent fubmiffion to her majefty. And

"Lord Deputy Mountjoy perfuaded Tirone and his confederates, to accept of a general amnesty, with a free and open exercife of the Romish religion, and the full poffeffion of their eftates, an. Dom. 1602-3." Dr. Anderson's Royal Genealogies, P. 786.

And the next day he made a moft humble fubmiffion in writing, figned with his own hand; wherein, afterabfolutely cafting himself on her majefty's mercy, without prefuming to juftify his difloyal proceedings, he among other things, moft forrowfully and earnestly defired, that it might please her majefty, rather in fome measure to mitigate her juft indignation against him, in that he did religiously vow, that the first motives of his rebellion were neither practice, malice, nor ambition; but that he was induced firft by fear of his life, which, he conceived, was fought by his enemies practice, to ftand upon his guard." This fubmiffion in writing (adds Mr. Morriffon) was prefented by the Earl of Tirone, kneeling before the lord deputy and council, and in the prefence of a great affembly, whereupon the lord deputy, in the queen's name, promised to the earl, for himself and his followers, her majesty's gracious pardon. And to himself the reftoring of his dignity of the earldom of Tirone, and of his blood; and likewife new letters patent for all his lands, which, in his former letters patent had been granted to him, before his rebellion." "Thus had the queen's army under Lord Mountjoy, broken and abfolutely fubdued all the lords and chieftains of the Irifhry. Whereupon the multitude being brayed, as it were, in a mortar, fays Sir John Davis, with fword, famine and peftilence together, fubmitted themselves to the English government, received the laws and magiftrates, and most gladly embraced the king's pardon and peace in all parts of the realm, with demonstrations of joy and comfort."

*

AN

5 Hift. Relations.

James I.

"This amnesty was confirmed the next fummer by king James I. when Tirone fubmitted to him in person, and was honourably received at court: And the native Irish believing king James loved them, (having in queen Elizabeth's time privately affifted them, more than Spain did publicly) never difturbed his reign, though they were much provoked.” ́ ́ Id. ib.