this hard usage of these two Ulster gentlemen, all the great men of the Irish, especially in those northern parts, did much repine. "The loyal Irish," says Dr. Leland, " on this occasion, trembled for their own safety, and the disaffected were confirmed in their inveteracy." About the year 1590, died M'Mahon, chieftain of Monaghan, who in his life-time had surrendered his country into her majesty's hands, and received a re-grant thereof, under the broad seal of England, to him and his heirs male; and in default of such, to his brother Hugh Roe M'Mahon, with other remainders. And this man dying without issue male, his said brother came up to the state, that he might be settled in his inheritance, hoping to be countenanced and cherished, as her majesty's patentee. But he found as the Irish say, he could not be admitted, until he promised six hundred cows, for such and no other, were the Irish bribes. He was afterwards imprisoned for failing in part of his payment; and in a few days enlarged, with promise that the lord deputy himself, would go and settle him in his country of Monaghan; whither his lordship took his journey shortly after, with M Mahon in his company. At their first arrival, the gentleman was clapt into bolts; and in two days after, he was indicted, arraigned, and 2 Morrisson's History of Ireland, fol. 10. * On occasion of this manner of expressing himself, which Morrisson often makes use of, the reader is desired to take notice of the following passage. “This, says he, I write of hearsay; but as in the general relation following, I purpose to write nothing which is not warranted, either by relations presented to the queen by the principal counsellors of Ireland, or by letters interchanged between the states of England and Ireland, or like authentical writings; so for the particulars of the above-named lord deputy, (Sir William Fitzwilliams) if, perhaps, some may think any thing observed by me to derogate from him, I protest, that whatsoever I write, is, in like sort, warranted, and may not be omitted without the scandal of historical integrity, being objections frequently made by the rebels, for excuse of their disloyalty, as well in all their petitions, as treaties of peace." Morrisson's Hist. of Ireland, f. 8.-He afterwards indeed, mentions, what he calls an honorable answer of the deputy, to part of this charge, in which answer it is affirmed, "that the country seemed glad of M'Mahon's execution." But this Morrisson himself, in the same page, flatly contradicts. Ib. f. 11. And he further protests, "that he would most willingly have inserted his full justification, if any such memorial had come to his hands."Poid. fol. 8. executed at his own door* ; all done, as the Irish said, by such officers as the lord deputy carried with him for that purpose from Dublin. The treason, for which he was condemned, was, because two years before, he pretending a rent due unto him, out of Fearney, levied forces and made a distress for the same; which, by the English law, adds, my author, may, perhaps, be treason; but in that country, never before subject to law, it was thought no rare thing, nor great offence. The marshal, sir Henry Bagnal, had part of the country; capt. Hensflower was made seneschal of it, and had M'Mahon's chief house, and part of the land; and to divers others, smaller portions of land, were assigned; and the Irish spared not to say, that these men were all the contrivers of his death; and that every one was paid something for his share. « Certain it is," says the same historian,3" that, upon McMahon's execution, heartburnings, and loathings of the English government, began to grow in the 3 Morrisson's History of Ireland, fol. 10. "The deputy caused M'Mahon to be tried by a jury of common soldiers, and then to be hanged up.”—Baker's Chronicle, fols 378. "The Irish who have once offended (says Lee in his memorial to queen Elizabeth) live they never so honestly afterwards, if they grow into wealth, are sure to be cut off by one indirect means or other." Of this he gives the following melancholy instance." In one of her majesty's civil shires, there lived an Irishman peaceably and quietly as a good subject, many years together, whereby he grew into great wealth: which his landlord thirsting after, and desirous to remove him from his land, entered into practice with the sheriff of the shire to dispatch this simple man, and divide his goods between them. Whereupon they sent one of his own servants for him, and he coming with him, they presently took his man and hanged him, and keeping the master prisoner, they went immediately to his dwelling, and shared his substance, which was of great value, between them, turning his wife and many children to begging. After they had kept him (the master) fast for a season with the sheriff, they carried him to the castle of Dublin, where he lay bye the space of two or three terms, and he having no matter objected against him, whereupon to be tried by law, they by their credit and countenance (being both English gentlemen, and he, who was the landlord, the chiefest man in the shire) informed the lord deputy so hardly of him, as that, without indictment or trial, they executed him; to the great scandal of her majesty's state, and the impeachment of her laws. Yet this, and the like exemplary justice (adds he) is ministered to your majesty's poor subjects there."-Ses Append. No. 1. northern lords; and they shunned, as much as they could, to admit any sheriffs, or any English among them.*” CHAP. V. The first causes of Tirone's insurrection. UPON the execution' of M'Mahon, and the jealousy thence conceived against the English, Macguire, a northern lord, about the year 1593, began to declare himself discontented, and to stand upon his defence. He alleged, that he had given three hundred cows, to free his country from a sheriff, during the lord deputy's government; and that, notwithstanding, one capt. Willis was made sheriff of Fermanagh; having for his guard, one hundred men, and leading about some hundreds of women and boys, all living upon the spoil of the country; upon which, says my author, Macguire, who was chieftain of Fermanagh, taking his advantage, set upon them and drove them into a church, where he would have put them all to the sword, if the earl of Tirone had not interposed his authority,‡ 1 Morrisson's, ib. fol. 12. "The unhappy M'Mahon, for an offence committed before the law, which declared it capital, had been established in his country, was tried, condemned by a jury, said to be formed of private soldiers, and executed in two days, to the utter consternation of his countrymen. His estate was distributed to sir Henry Bagnal and other adventurers, together with four of the old Irish sept. The condemnation of this chieftain, confirmed the Irish in their aversion to the English polity; which they considered as a system of hateful cruelty and tyranny."—Leland's History of Ireland, vol.ii. p. 317. + "A great part of that unquietness of O'Donnel's country, came by sir William Fitzwilliams placing one Willis there to be sheriff, who had with him three hundred of the very rascals and scum of that kingdom, which did rob and spoil that people, ravish their wives and daughters, and made havoc of all; which bred such a discontent, as that the whole country was up in arms against them, so as if the earl of Tirone had not rescued and delivered him, and them, out of the country, they had been all put to the sword."-Lee's memorial to queen Elizabeth, MSS. in Trinity College. "Hugh O'Nial lived sometimes in Ireland, and much in the court of England, and was supported against Tirlough Lynogh O‘Nial, with the title of baron of Dungannon, by his father's right. He had a troop of and made composition for their lives, upon condition that they should all leave the country. Upon this occasion, the lord deputy Fitzwilliams sent the queen's forces into Fermanagh, took Macguire's castle of Enniskillen, and proclaimed him a traitor. The Irish avow, that his lordship let fall some speeches against the earl of Tirone himself, calling him a traitor also, (notwithstanding his late service,) which speeches coming to that earl's hearing, he ever after said, were the first causes that moved him to misdoubt his safety, and to stand upon his defence; now first combining himself with O'Donnel, and the other lords of the north, to defend, adds Mr. Morrisson, their honors, estates, and liberties. This combination, however, was for some time kept secret; for Tirone still served, with the queen's forces, against Macguire, and once valiantly fighting, was wounded in the thigh. But he ceased not to complain daily of the lord deputy's and marshal's envy against him; and of wrongs done him by the garrison soldiers :‡ and these wrongs not being horse in queen Elizabeth's reign, in the late wars of the earl of Desmond, in which, and on all occasions, he behaved himself so valiantly, as the queen gave him a yearly pension of one thousand marks. In an Irish parliament he put up his petition, that by virtue of the letters patent granted to his grand-father, his father and his heirs, he might there have the place and title of earl of Tirone, and be admitted to his inheritance; the title and place there were granted to him, but the inheritance (in regard the kings of England, by the attainder of Shane O'Nial, were thereof pos sessed) was referred to the queen's pleasure; for the obtaining whereof sir John Perrot, then lord deputy, upon O'Nial's promise of a great rent to be reserved to the crown, gave him his letters of recommendation into England, where he so well knew how to humour the court, as in the year 1587, he got the queen's letters patent under the great seal of England for the earldom of Tirone, without any reservation of the rent he had promised to the lord deputy."-Morris. Hist. of Ireland, fol. 7. * The earl of Tirone had, at that time, in conjunction with the English marshal of Newry, the command of all the queen's forces sent against Macguire.-Irish Annals. + The earl of Tirone, with all the alacrity of a faithful subject, joined the standard of Bagnal (his mortal enemy); and in an action in which the Irish associates were defeated, distinguished himself with such zeal, that he received a wound in the thigh."-—Leland's Hist. vol. ii. p. 329. The queen had long before this, frequently, but in vain, ordered this grievance to be removed." For that our subjects of that realm," C redressed, together with the ill government of the church, the extortions of sheriffs, and the army's oppressing the subject, and by that means driving many daily into rebellion, made him at last resolve to temporize no longer." But what first provoked him to break out into open acts of hostility against the government, I shall now briefly relate. 4 In the year 1594, sir William Fitzwilliams being recalled into England, sir William Russel succeeded him in the government of Ireland. To this new deputy, the queen had been prevailed upon to give private orders, to seize upon Tirone, and make him a prisoner, if ever he should get him in his power. Tirone had often refused to come to Dublin, on the invitation of the late lord deputy, from a distrust of his lordship's honour, and on account of his known enmity to him; but sir William Russel having sent him a protection, which was an assurance of safety on public faith; he soon appeared before him at the castle, and declared, that the reason of his not having obeyed the like orders from the late deputy, was because he knew," that he had laid snares for his life, which it was but natural for him to avoid." He added, " that the accusations against him were false and malicious; that he desired nothing more, than a fair and impartial trial, by which, he was confident, his innocence would fully appear; and, for says she, in her instructions to sir John Perrot, anno 1583, “ have been grievously oppressed by the outrages and insolences committed by certain ill affected of our garrisons serving there, which hath been partly a cause of the alienation of the good will, which they before bare unto us, we cannot (as a principal matter, wherein we look to have redress) but give you an especial charge, to see that our garrisons serving there, be kept in better discipline than heretofore they have been.-And that such abuses as have hitherto been committed by such captains, as have had heretofore more regard to their particular profit, than to the discharge of their duties, may be met withal, and the party offending, severely punished." -Desiderata Curiosa Hibern. vol. i. p. 36. * "Where it was your majesty's pleasure," says Lee, in his memorial to the queen," he (Tirone) should have great encouragement given him, by thanks for his last great service against Macguire, it was held from him; and instead of that, they devised all means and policies to aggravate matters against him to your majesty; which is credibly made known unto him and more, that upon what security soever, he should come in, your majesty's pleasure is to have him detained."-Desid. 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