1565 done all the days of his life, never asking a penny of the CHAP XI Church or any benefice of any man ;" and so modest a wish might have been granted with no great difficulty, considering that half the preferments in England were held by men who scarcely affected to conceal that they were still Catholics. Either Creagh however was less simple than he pretended, or Cecil had reason to believe that his presence in Ireland would lead to mischief; he was kept fast in his cage, and would have remained there till he died, had he not contrived one night to glide over the walls into the Thames. His imprisonment was perhaps intended as a gratification to Shan O'Neil. No sooner had he escaped than Elizabeth considered that of the two Catholic Archbishops Terence Daniel might be the least dangerous, and that to set Shan against the Pope might be worth a sacrifice of dignity. It was intimated that if Shan would be a good subject he should have his own Primate, and Adam Loftus should be removed to Dublin.2 Shan on his part gave the Queen to understand that when Terence was installed at Armagh, and he himself was created Earl of Tyrone, she should have no more trouble; and the events of the spring of 1565 made the English Government more than ever anxious to come to terms with a chieftain whom they were powerless to crush. Since the defeat of the Earl of Sussex, Shan's influence and strength had been steadily growing. His return unscathed from London, and the fierce attitude which he assumed on the instant of his reappearance in Ulster, 1 Questions for Creagh, with Creagh's answers, February 22, 1565. Further answers of Creagh, March 17.-Irish MSS. Rolls House. 2 Private instructions to Sir Henry Sidney. Cecil's hand, 1565.—MS. Ibid. 1565 defeats the Scots. CHAP XI convinced the petty leaders that to resist him longer would only ensure their ruin. O'Donnell was an exile in England, and there remained unsubdued in the north only the Scottish colonies of Antrim, which were soon to follow with the rest. O'Neil lay quiet through the Shan O'Neil Winter. With the spring and the fine weather, when the rivers fell and the ground dried, he roused himself out of his lair, and with his galloglasse and kern, and a few hundred 'harquebuss-men,' he dashed suddenly down upon the Redshanks,' and broke them utterly to pieces. Six or seven hundred were killed in the field; James M'Connell and his brother Sorleboy' were taken prisoners; and for the moment the whole colony was swept away. James M'Connell himself, badly wounded in the action, died a few months later, and Shan was left undisputed sovereign of Ulster. The facile pen of Terence Daniel was employed to communicate to the Queen this 'glorious victory,' for which Shan thanked God first, and next the Queen's Majesty; affirming the same to come of her good fortune." The English Government, weary of the ill success which had attended their own dealings with the Scots, were disposed to regard them as a malicious and dangerous people, who were gradually fastening on the country;" and with some misgivings they were inclined to accept Shan's account of himself; while Shan, finding Elizabeth disinclined to quarrel with him, sent Terence over to her to explain more fully the excellence of his intentions. Sir Thomas Cusack added his own commendations both of Terence and his master, and urged that now was the time to make O'Neil a friend for ever. Sir 1 Spelt variously Sorleboy, Sarlebos, Surlebois, and Surlyboy. Nicholas Arnold, with more discrimination, insisted that CHAP XI it was necessary to do one thing or the other, but he too 1565 seemed to recommend the Queen, as the least of two evils, to be contented with Shan's nominal allegiance, and to leave him undisturbed. 'If,' he said, 'you use the opportunity to make O'Neil a good subject, he will hardly swerve hereafter. The Pale is poor and unable to defend itself. If he do fall out before the beginning of next summer, there is neither outlaw, rebel, murderer, thief, nor any lewd or evil-disposed person-of whom God knoweth there is plenty swarming in every corner amongst the wild Irish, yea, and in our own border too-which would not join to do what mischief they might.' Alas! while Arnold wrote there came news that Shan's ambition was still unsatisfied. He had followed up his successes against the Scotch by seizing the Queen's castles of Newry and Dundrum. Turning west he had Invasion of marched into Connaught 'to require the tribute due of Connaught. owld time to them that were kings in that realm.' He had exacted pledges of obedience from the western chiefs, frightened Clanrickard into submission, 'spoiled O'Rourke's country,' and returned to Tyrone driving before him four thousand head of cattle. Instead of the intended four presidencies in Ireland, there would soon be only one; and Shan O'Neil did not mean to rest till he had revived the throne of his ancestors, and reigned once more in Tara's halls.' Excuse me for writing plainly what I think,' said Lord Clanrickard to Sir William Fitzwilliam. 'I assure you it is an ill likelihood toward-that the realm if it be 1 Sir T. Cusack to Cecil, August 23. O'Neil to Elizabeth, August, 25. Sir N. Arnold to the English Council, August 31.-Irish MSS. Rolls House. 1565 CHAP XI not speedily looked unto will be at a hazard to come as far out of her Majesty's hands as ever it was out of the October hands of any of her predecessors. Look betimes to these things, or they will grow to a worse end." Elizabeth resolves to best of Shan. The evil news reached England at the crisis of the convulsion which had followed the Darnley marriage. The Protestants in Scotland had risen in rebellion, relying on Elizabeth's promises; and Argyle, exasperated at her desertion of Murray, was swearing that he would leave his kinsmen unrevenged, and would become Shan's ally and friend. Mary Stuart was shaking her sword upon the Border at the head of 20,000 men; and Elizabeth, distracted between the shame of leaving her engagements unredeemed or bringing the Irish and Spaniards upon her head, was in no humour to encounter fresh troubles. Shan's words were as smooth as ever; his expedition to Connaught was represented as having been undertaken in the English interest. On his return he sent a petition' to have 'his title and rule' determined without further delay; while in consideration of his good services' he begged to have some augmentation of living granted him in the Pale; and her Majesty to be pleased not to credit any stories which his evilwillers might spread abroad against him." Elizabeth allowed herself to believe what it was most make the pleasant to her to hope. We must allow something,' she wrote to Sir Henry Sidney, for his wild bringing up, and not expect from him what we should expect from a perfect subject; if he mean well he shall have all his reasonable requests granted.' 3 But it was impossible to leave Ireland any longer 1 Clanrickard to Fitzwilliam, Oct. 11.-Irish MSS. Rolls House. 2 Shan O'Neil to Elizabeth, October 27.-MS. Ibid. October without the presence of a deputy. Sir Nicholas Arnold CHAP XI had gone over with singular and temporary powers; the 1565 administration was out of joint, and the person most fitted for the government by administrative and military capacity was Leicester's brother-in-law, Sir Henry Sidney, President of Wales. Sidney knew Ireland well from past experience. He had held command there under Sussex himself; he had seen deputy after deputy depart for Dublin with the belief that he at last was the favoured knight who would break the spell of the enchantment; and one after another he had seen them return with draggled plumes and broken armour. Gladly would he have declined the offered honour. If the Queen would but grant him leave to serve her in England, or in any place in the world else saving Ireland, or to live private, it should be more joyous to him than to enjoy all the rest and to go thither.' It was idle to think that O'Neil could be really 'reformed' except by force; and the Irishry had taken courage through the feeble dealing with him.' If he was to go, Sidney said, he would not go without money. Ten or twelve thousand pounds must be sent immediately to pay the outstanding debts. He must have more and better troops; two hundred horse and five hundred foot at least, in addition to those which were already at Dublin. He would keep his patent as President of Wales; he would have leave to return to England at his discretion if he saw occasion; and for his personal expenses, as he could expect nothing from the Queen, he demanded-strange resource to modern eyes -permission to export six thousand kerseys and clothes free of duty.1 1 Petition of Sir H. Sidney going to Ireland.-Irish MSS. Rolls House. |