1560 was opened with public mass. In speeches of the time- CHAP VII honoured type the patriotic orators dwelt upon the wrongs of Ireland; they swore that they would be 'slaves' no longer; they protested that their kingdom was kept from them by force by such as were aliens in blood;' and Fitzwilliam frightened by the loud words wrote in haste for assistance that the English might fight for their lives before they were all dead.'1 Kil With the death of Henry the Second, the fall of Leith, and the failure of the French to appear, the Irish courage cooled, and the more pressing danger passed off. dare's larger knowledge showed him that the opportunity was gone. His father's death on the scaffold and his own long exile had taught him that without support from abroad a successful insurrection was impossible; and having no personal interests to defend he bought his pardon for the treason which he had meditated by loyally returning to his allegiance. Shan O'Neil was less favourably circumstanced. His rank and his estates were at stake, and he on his part had determined never to submit at all unless he was secured in their possession. But he too thought it prudent to temporize. His father was by this time dead. He was required to appear before Elizabeth in person to explain the grounds on which he challenged his inheritance; and after stipulating for a safe-conduct, and an advance of money for expenses of his journey, he affected a willingness to comply. But he chose to treat with the Government at first hand, and in a characteristic letter to Elizabeth he prepared the way for his reception. He described his father's miscellaneous habits, and 'gentlemanlike' readiness to acknowledge every child Advertisements out of Ireland, May 28, 1560.-Irish MSS Rolls House. C CHAP VII that was assigned to him; he explained his brother's birth and his own election as the O'Neil; he then proceeded thus:-1 1560 Letter of to Eliza beth. The deputy has much ill-used me your Majesty; and Shan O'Neil now that I am going over to see you I hope you will consider that I am but rude and uncivil, and do not know my duty to your Highness nor yet your Majesty's laws, but am one brought up in wildness far from all civility. Yet have I a good will to the commonwealth of my country; and please your Majesty to send over two commissioners that you can trust that will take no bribes nor otherwise be imposed on, to observe what I have done to improve the country and to hear what my accusers have to say; and then let them go into the Pale and hear what the people say of your soldiers with their horses and their dogs and their concubines. Within this year and a half three hundred farmers are come from the English Pale to live in my country where they be safe. Please your Majesty, your Majesty's money here is not so good as your money in England, and will not pass current there. Please your Majesty to send me three thousand pounds of English money to pay my expenses in going over to you, and when I come back I will pay your deputy three thousand pounds Irish, such as you are pleased to have current here. 'Also I will ask your Majesty to marry me to some gentlewoman of noble blood meet for my vocation. I will make Ireland all that your Majesty wishes for you. I am very sorry your Majesty is put to such expense. If 1 The voluminousness of the letter renders some abridgement necessary; but the character, substance, and arrangement are preserved. you will trust it to me I will undertake that in three CHAP VII years you shall have a revenue where now you have con- 1561 tinual loss. 'Also your Majesty's father granted certain lands to my father O'Neil and to his son Matthew. Mat Kelly claims these lands of your Majesty. We have a saying among us Irishmen that "whatsoever bull do chance to bull any cow in any kerragh, notwithstanding, the right owner of the cow shall have the calf and not the owner of the bull." How can it be or how can it stand with natural reason that the said Matthew should inherit my father's lands, and also inherit his own rightful father the smith's, and also his mother's lands which the said Matthew hath peaceably in possession ?' 1 Whether Shan would follow up his letter by really going over was not so certain. It depended on the answer which he received, or on the chances which might offer themselves to him of doing better for himself in some other way. The English Government had no advantage over him in sincerity. Towards Ireland itself the intentions of Elizabeth were honourable; but she had determined to use her first leisure in restoring order and obedience there; and for Shan himself the meaning of his summons to England was merely to detain him there with gentle talk,' till Sussex could return to his command and the English army be reinforced. Govern Preparations were made to send men and money in The English such large quantities that rebellion should have no ment prechance; and so careful was the secrecy which was ob- pares to put 1 Shan O'Neil to Queen Elizabeth, February 8, 1561.-Irish MSS. Compare Shan O'Neil to Cecil (same date). down Shan. 1561 CHAP VII served to prevent Shan from taking alarm, that a detachment of troops sent from Portsmouth sailed with sealed orders, and neither men nor officers knew that Ireland was their destination till they had rounded the Land's End.1 Notwithstanding these precautions Shan's friends found means to put him on his guard. He was to have sailed from Dublin, but the weeks passed on and he did not make his appearance; at one time his dress was not ready; at another he had no money, and pressed to have his loan of the three thousand pounds sent up for him into Tyrone; and to this last request Fitzwilliam would give no sort of encouragement, being,' as he said, 'for his own part unwilling to lend Shan five shillings on his bond, and being certain that he would no sooner have received the money than he would laugh at them all.' The Government however cared little whether he submitted or stayed away. As yet they had not been forced to recognize Shan's ability, and the troops who were to punish him were on their way. Kildare, whom Elizabeth most feared, had gone to London on her first invitation. As long as Kildare was loyal Desmond would remain quiet; and no serious rebellion was considered any longer possible. O'Donnell was prepared to join the English army on its advance into Ulster; and the Scots, notwithstanding their predilection for Mary Stuart, were expected to act as Argyle and as his sister 'should direct.' But Shan had prepared a master stroke which disconcerted this last arrangement. Though his suit found no favour with the Earl of Argyle, he had con 1 Matters to be ordered for Ireland, February 25, March March 13. Irish MSS. 4, off the trived to ingratiate himself with the Countess.' The CHAP VII Scots were chiefly anxious to secure their settlements in 1561 Antrim and Down; and Shan was a more useful ally for them than Elizabeth or the feeble Callogh. The lady from whom such high hopes had been formed cared less for Protestantism than for the impassioned speeches of a lover; and while Queen Mary's gown and kirtle were on their way to her, Fitzwilliam was surprised with the sudden news that Shan had made a raid into Tyrcon- Shan carries nell and had carried off both her and her husband. Her Countess of Scotch guard, though fifteen hundred strong, had offered Argyle. no resistance; and the next news was that the Callogh was a prisoner in Shan's castle, and that the Countess was the willing paramour of the O'Neil. The affront to M'Connell was forgiven or atoned for, by private arrangement; and the sister of the Earl of Argyle—an educated woman for her time, 'not unlearned in Latin,' 'speaking French and Italian,'' counted sober, wise, and no less subtle'-had betrayed herself, her people, and her husband.1 The O'Neils by this last manoeuvre became supreme in Ulster. Deprived of their head, the O'Donnells sunk into helplessness; the whole force of the province such as it was, with the more serious addition of several thousand Scotch marauders, was at Shan's disposal, and thus provided he thought himself safe in defying England to do its worst. Both sides prepared for war. Sussex returned to Dublin at the beginning of June; his troops and supplies had arrived before him; and after a debate in the Council' the Irish of the Pale were invited to join in a 'general hosting' into Tyrone on the first of July. 1 Fitzwilliam to Cecil, May 30.- Irish MSS. |