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. Ireland. Shan therefore with his galloglasse returned in glory, Shan his purse lined with money, and honour wreathed about returns to 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 But Shan was too cunning a fish, and had been too lately in the meshes to be caught again in so poor a snare. 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. brother-in-law their relations for the future might be CHAP VII improved. The present sovereign of England would 1562 perhaps give one of her daughters to the King of August Dahomey with more readiness than the Earl of Sussex would have consigned his sister to Shan O'Neil; yet he condescended to reply that he could not promise to give her against her will,' but if Shan would visit him 'he could see and speak with her, and if he liked her and she him they should both have his good will.' Shan glanced at the tempting morsel with wistful eyes. Had he trusted himself in the hands of Sussex he would have had a short shrift for a blessing and a rough nuptial knot about his neck. At the last moment a little bird carried the tale to his ear. He had advertisement out of the Pale that the lady was brought over only to entrap him, and if he came to the Deputy he should never return.' 2 After this second failure Sussex told Elizabeth that she must either use force once more or she must be prepared to see first all Ulster and afterwards the whole. 'Irishry' of the four provinces accept Shan for their sovereign. There was no sort of uncertainty as to O'Neil's intentions: he scarcely affected to conceal them. He had written to the Pope; he was in correspondence with the Queen of Scots; he had established secret relations with Spain through de Quadra; and Sussex advised war immediate and unsparing. No greater danger,' he said, 'had ever been in Ireland;' he implored the Queen not to trifle with it; and with a modest sense of his own failures he recommended her to send a more efficient person than himself to take the command-not, 1 Sussex to the Queen, September 20.-Irish MSS. CHAP VII he protested, 'from any want of will, for he would 1562 spend his last penny and his last drop of blood for September her Majesty,' but he knew himself to be unequal to the rebels. work. Post after post brought evidence of the fatal consequences of the quasi recognition of Shan's sovereignty. Right and left he was crushing the petty chiefs, who one and all sent to say that they must yield unless England Shan again supported them. Sussex wrote to him in useless menace 'that if he followed his foolish pride her Majesty would destroy him at the last.' He held a parley' with the Irish Council on Dundalk Bridge on the 17th of September, and bound himself to keep peace with the Queen' 'for six months;' but he felt himself discharged of all obligations towards a government which had aimed at his life by deliberate treachery. In the face of his ambiguous dealings, the garrison had been still maintained at Armagh; at the beginning of October the hostages for his good behaviour which he had sent in on his return from England escaped from Dublin Castle; and on the 10th in a dark moonless night the guard at the cathedral were alarmed with mysterious lights like blown matches glimmering through the darkness. Had the troops ventured out to reconnoitre, some hundreds of harquebusmen' were in ambush to cut them off. Suspecting treason they kept within their walls, and Shan was compelled to content himself with driving their cattle; but had they shown outside not a man of them would have been left alive. The next day the Irish came under the gate and taunted them with 'cowardice,' 'telling them the wolves had eaten their cattle, and that the matches they thought they saw were wolves' eyes.'1 1 Sussex to Elizabeth, October 15.—Irish MSS. 1562 October Con O'Donnell the Callogh's son wrote piteously to CHAP VII Elizabeth that after carrying off his father and his mother Shan had now demanded the surrender of his castles; he had refused out of loyalty to England, and his farms were burnt, his herds destroyed, and he was a ruined man.1 A few days later M'Guyre from the banks of Lough Erne wrote that Shan had summoned him to submit ; he had answered that he would not forsake the English till the English forsook him;' wherefore,' he said, Shan 'I know well that within these four days the sayed Shan st will come to dystroy me contrey except your Lordshypp chiefs. will sette some remedy in the matter.'2 Sussex was powerless. Duly as the unlucky chief foretold, Shan came down into Fermanagh with a great hoste;' M'Guyre still kept his truth to England; 'wherefore Shan bygan to wax mad and to cawsse his men to bran all his corn and howsses;' he spared neither church nor sanctuary; three hundred women and children were piteously murdered; and M'Guyre himself clean banished,' as he described it, took refuge with the remnant of his people in the islands on the lake, whither Shan was making boats to pursue him. 'Help me your lordship,' the hunted wretch cried in his despair to Sussex; I promes you, and you doo not sy the rather to Shan O'Nele is besynes, ye ar lyke to make hym the strongest man of all Erlond, for every man wyll take an exampull by me gratte lostys; take 1 'Con O'Donnell to Elizabeth, September 30. Irish MSS. Rolls House. Sussex, in forwarding the letter, added "This Con is valiant, wise, much disposed of himself to civility, true of his word, speaketh and writeth very good English, and hath natural M'Guyre to Sussex, October 9.- crushes the Ulster |