CHAP VII side; and while to Shan it was pretended that the Baron had been sent for, Cecil wrote privately to Fitzwilliam to prevent him from leaving Ireland. 1562 January Offers of Shan to At first the caged chieftain felt no alarm, and he used his opportunities in flattering and working upon Elizabeth. He wrote to her from time to time, telling her that she was the sole hope and refuge which he possessed in the world; in coming to England his chief desire had been to see that great person whose fame was spoken of through the world, and to study the wisdom of her Government that he might learn how better to order himself in civil polity.' If she would Elizabeth. give him his father's earldom, he said, he would maintain her authority in Ulster where she should be indisputed Queen over willing subjects; he would drive away all her enemies; he would expel Mary Stuart's friends the Scots; and with them it seems he was prepared to dismiss his ' countess;' for 'he was most urgent that her Majesty would give him some noble English lady for a wife with augmentation of living suitable;' and he on his part would save the Queen all further expense in Ireland 'with great increase of revenue.' As the chief of the house of O'Neil he claimed indisputed sovereignty over the petty Ulster chiefs. He admitted that he had killed his brother, but he saw nothing in so ordinary an action but what was right and reasonable.' So the winter months passed on. At last when January was gone, and February was gone, and March had come, and the young Baron' had not appeared, Shan's mind misgave him. His time had not been wasted; night after night he had been closeted with de Quadra, and the insurrectionary resources of Ireland had 1 Shan O'Neil to Elizabeth, January.-Irish MSS. been sketched out as a bait to Philip. His soul in the CHAP VII land of heretics had been cared for by holy wafers from 1562 de Quadra's chapel; but his body he began to think might be in the lion's den, and he pressed for his dismissal. March detained in England. A cloud of obstacles was immediately raised. The Shan is Queen, he was told, was indifferent who had the earldom provided it was given to the lawful heir; and as soon as the Baron arrived the cause should instantly be heard. When Shan was still dissatisfied, he was recommended, if he wished for favour, 'to change his garments and go like an Englishman.' He appealed to Elizabeth herself. With an air of ingenuous simplicity he threw himself, his wrongs, and his position on her personal kindness, 'having no refuge nor succour to flee unto but only her Majesty.' His presence was urgently required in Ireland; the Scots were 'evil neighbours;' his kinsmen were fickle; if however her Majesty desired him to stay he was her slave, he would do all which she would have him do; he would only ask in return that her Majesty would give him a gentlewoman for a wife such as he and she might agree upon;' and he begged that he might be allowed the subtle flatterer to attend on the Lord Robert; 'that he might learn to ride after the English fashion, to run at the tilt, to hawk, to shoot, and use such other good exercises as the said good lord was most apt unto.' He had touched the Queen where she was most susceptible, yet he lost his labour. She gave him no English lady-she did not let him go. At length the false dealing produced its cruel fruit-the murder of the boy who was used as the pretext for delay. Sent for to England, yet prevented from obeying the command, the 1 Shan O'Neil to Elizabeth, March.-Irish MSS. April CHAP VII young Baron of Dungannon was waylaid at the begin1562 ning of April in a wood near Carlingford by Tirlogh O'Neil. He fled for his life with the murderers behind him till he reached the bank of a deep river which he could not swim, and there he was killed.' Murder of Matthew The crime could not be traced to Shan. His rival was gone, and there was no longer any cause to be pleaded; while he could appeal to the wild movements of his clan as an evidence of the necessity of his presence among them. The Council were frightened. O'Neil promised largely, and Elizabeth persuaded herself to believe him. She durst not imprison him; she could no longer detain him except by open force: she preferred to bribe him into allegiance by granting him all that he desired. The earldom-a barren title for which he cared little -was left in suspense. On the 20th of April an indenture was signed by Elizabeth and himself, in which Shan bound himself to do military service and to take the oath of allegiance in the presence of the Deputy; while in return he was allowed to remain Captain of Tyrone with feudal jurisdiction over the northern counties. The Pale was to be no shelter to any person whom he might demand as a malefactor. If any Irish lord or chief did him wrong, and the Deputy failed within twenty days to exact reparation, Shan might raise an army and levy war on his private account. One feeble effort only was made to save O'Donnell whose crime against O'Neil had been his devotion to England. O'Neil consented to submit O'Donnell's cause to the arbitration of the Irish earls.2 Fitzwilliam to Cecil, April 14.-Irish MSS. 2 Indenture between the Queen of England and Shan O'Neil, April 30, 1562.-Irish MSS. April A rebel subject treating as an equal with his sovereign CHAP VII for the terms on which he would remain in his allegiance 1562 was an inglorious spectacle; and the admission of Shan's pretensions to sovereignty was one more evidence to the small Ulster chiefs that no service was worse requited in Ireland than fidelity to the English crown. The M'Guyres, the O'Reillies, the O'Donnells-all the clans who had stood by Sussex in the preceding summer-were given over to their enemy bound hand and foot. Yet Elizabeth was weary of the expense, and sick of efforts, which were profitless as the cultivation of a quicksand. True it was that she was placing half Ireland in the hands of an adulterous murdering scoundrel; but the Irish liked to have it so, and she forced herself to hope that he would restrain himself for the future within bounds of decency. Shan therefore with his galloglasse returned in glory, returns to Ireland. his purse lined with money, and honour wreathed about end. his brows. On reappearing in Tyrone he summoned the northern chiefs about him; he told them that he had not gone to England to lose but to win;' they must submit to his rule henceforth or they should feel his power. The O'Donnells in vain reliance on the past promises of the Deputy dared to refuse allegiance to him. Without condescending to the form of consulting the Government at Dublin, he called his men to arms and marched into Tyrconnell, killing, robbing, and burning in the old style, through farm and castle. The Earl of Sussex not knowing how to act could but fall back on treachery. Shan was bound by his engagement to take the oath of allegiance in Dublin. The Lord Deputy desired him to present himself at the first opportunity. The safe-conduct which accompanied the request was ingeniously worded; and enclosing a copy CHAP VII of it to Elizabeth, Sussex inquired whether in the event of Shan's coming to him he might not twist the meaning August of the words and make him prisoner.1 1562 Lord Sussex attempts to snare. But Shan was too cunning a fish, and had been too lately in the meshes to be caught again in so poor a His duty to the Queen, he replied, forbade him to leave his province in its present disturbed condition. He was making up for his long fast in England from his usual amusements; and when fighting was in the wind neither he, nor his troopers, nor as it seemed his clergy, had leisure for other occupations. The Catholic Primate having refused allegiance to Elizabeth, the see of Armagh was vacant, and Sussex sent down a congé d'élire for the appointment of 'Mr. Adam Loftus.' He received for answer that the chapter there, whereof the greater part were Shan O'Neil's horsemen, were so sparkled and out of order that they could by no means be assembled for the election.' 2 Once more Lord Sussex set his trap, and this time he atch Shan, baited it more skilfully. The Scotch countess was not enough for Shan's ambition. His passionate desire for an English wife had survived his return, and Elizabeth in this point had not gratified his wishes. Lord Sussex had a sister with him in Dublin, and Shan sent an intimation that if the Deputy would take him for a The safe conduct was worded thus: Plenam protectionem nostram per præsentes dicto Joanni concedimus qua ipse ad præmissa perficienda cum omnibus quibuscunque qui cum illo venerint ad nos venire et a nobis cum voluerint libere recedere valeant et possint absque ullâ perturbatione seu molestatione.' The word 'præmissa' referred to the oath of allegiance; it was anticipated that Shan would make a difficulty in doing homage to Sussex as Elizabeth's representative; and Sussex thought he might then lay hands on him for breach of compact. -Sussex to Elizabeth, August 27. Irish MSS. 2 Sussex to Elizabeth, September 2. -Irish MSS. |