was by the President of Munster executed, the 2nd of March, upon his beheading a drop of blood did not flow.-Broduinus. In the year 1591, which was also memorable as the year the College of Dublin was founded by Queen Elizabeth, the murder of John, Lord Castleconnell by Arnold Crosby, for which the latter was hanged, excited a considerable sensation in Limerick. The melancholy event is thus curiously versified in Davis's Manuscript Annals. 1591. Oliver Bourke, Mayor. John Bourke, Lord Castleconnell, was basely slain 1592. Eleven Priests and Jesuits were taken in Munster and Connaught, and sent prisoners to Dublin, where they were prosecuted by one Raily, who swore they encouraged people to take up arms; among the prisoners was one Michael Fitzsimons, priest, a son to Alderman Fitzsimons of Dublin—he was executed in Corn market, Dublin.1 1598. Edmund Gauran, Primate of Armagh, was killed, whilst during the time of battle he was receiving the confession of a wounded man.2 In this year a rateable assessment was recommended for the Irish Corporations, and Limerick was rated as 50 comparatively, and Waterford being assessed at 100, and Cork at 50.3 sorts, of blue and unwatered camlet, and wore them in Rome, where he had three servants waiting upon him; at leaving Rome he had the Pope's blessing, and Cardinal Moronius told him that the Queen (Elizabeth) would shortly turn to the Catholic faith. He then mentioned the particulars of his journey from Rome, which are not of interest-that on his reaching London he went to see St. Paul's Church, Westminster Church, the monuments there, Westminster Hall, where he heard that Bishop Bonner was arraigned, but he did not see him. Being asked what he would have done if he had been received Archbishop of Armagh, he said he would have lived there quietly. Being asked what he would have done if he were refused, he said he would go back again to Louvain, as being discharged of his obedience, whereunto he esteemed himself bound in conscience. On the 23rd of March he made an explanation as to some points in the preceding examination. (Shirley's Original Letters). In this explanation he states that he had sent letters to several persons, including Richard Arthur, that what he had learned of the Emperor Charles and other good men's charges, and costs, he had bestowed to his poor power for the profit and wealth of the Queen's Majesty's subjects, young and old, "and thanks be now unto Almightie God and to her gracious highness for my rewarde, begeing hier in such pouertie (besides diuers my pour body's seknes) that I can nother day nother nyght change apparel hany'g of myself, nother of anny body one peny to caus the broken sherth that is on my back to be ones washed, whos incommoditie honestie will not have it declared, beside the myserie of cold, and such others without goune or covenient hose." He besought leave of the Queen to permit him to teach school, which he would do for nought, as he had never received a penny of the Church or ecclesiastical benefice during his life. This ended the explanation. Sir James Ware (Ware's Writers of Ireland) states Archbishop Creagh wrote de lingua Hibernica, lib. 1 (which is yet extant in manuscript, and some collections from it are in Trinity College Library), an Ecclesiastical History, part of which was in Sir James Ware's time, in the possession of Thomas Arthur, Doctor of Physic. He is said also to have written de Controversiis Fidei (which possibly may be the same treatise that Stanihurst calls Responsiones ad Casus Conscientiæ, as his Chronicon Hibernia may be what the same writer calls Topographia Hiberniæ), Vitas Sanctorum Hiberniæ, and Catechismum Hibernice. 2 Ibid. Analecta. 3 1594. Eudox. But let me I praye you by the way aske you the reason, why in those cities either of Mounster, namely Waterford and Cork, you rather placed garrisons, then in all others * Dr. Thomas Arthur, above mentioned, was the writer of the Arthur MSS. in my possession, and so often quoted in the course of this work. As it does not enter into our plan to give the details of the war of O'Neill and O'Donnell, we must pass over some of the most interesting portions of the history of Ireland to the events in the local history. The brilliant campaigns of O'Neill and the other chiefs of Confederate Ulster, especially crowned by the victory of the Yellow Ford, in which Marshal Bagnall, with twenty-three officers and seventeen hundred men were left dead on the field, leaving their artillery, arms, colors and baggage in the hands of the Irish, produced a powerful effect on the Catholics of Munster; Sir Peter de Lacy of Bruff, invited the celebrated Rory O'Moore, who had recovered his chieftainry of Leix, to Munster, and O'Moore having consulted O'Neill, accepted the invitation, and despite of a show of opposition for Ormond, arrived without interruption in the county of Limerick; Sir Thomas Norris marched to Kilmallock to oppose him, but he was obliged to retire to Cork, leaving a garrison behind him, and in his retreat, his rere guard was roughly handled by the forces of O'Moore. The success of O'Moore, produced an almost universal rising of the noblemen of Munster against the queen, but the Earls of Thomond and Ormond, and the Baron of Inchiquin did not join in the league, and their extensive influence prevented the MacMahons, the MacNamaras, the O'Connors, the O'Loughlins of Thomond, the O'Dwyers, the O'Fogarties, the O'Meaghers, the O'Moel Ryans, the O'Kennedies, and other chiefs of Tipperary from uniting against the queen. The chief persons that joined the confederacy, were the Lords Lixnaw (Fitzmaurice), Fermoy, (Roche), Mountgarret (Butler), Cahir (Butler), the Knight of Kerry, the Knight of Glyn, the White Knight, the three last being Geraldines, at the head of which sept O'Neill placed James, son of Thomas Fitzgerald, surnamed the Red, and nephew of the last Earl of Desmond, being known in history as the sugan or straw rope Earl. This was the leader of the confederates, who in Cork and Kerry were supported by most of the MacCarthies, O'Sullivans, O'Driscolls, O'Donoghues, O'Donevans and O'Mahons, and some months after the expedition of Norris, Thomas Burke, brother of the Baron of Castleconnell, left the queen's party and went over to the confederates, but went back again, and was subsequently killed with his brother, Lord Castleconnell, by one Dermod O'Connor, to whom they had refused in Ireland. For they may thinke themselves to have great wrong to bee so charged above all the rest. Iren. I will tell you those two cities alone of all the rest do offer an nigate to the Spaniard most fitly. But yet because they shall not take exceptions to this that they are charged above all the rest, I will also lay a charge upon the others likewise: for indeed it is his reason that the Corporate towns enjoying great franchises and privileges from Her Majesty and living thereby not only safe, but drawing to them the wealth of all the land, should live so free as not to be partakers of the burden of this garrison for their own safety especially in time of trouble, and seeing all the rest burthened; (and therefore) I will charge them thus all ratably according to their abilites, towards their maintenance, the which Her Majesty may (if she pleases) spare out of the charge of the rest, and reserve towards her other costes, or else adde to the charge of the residency in the North. Clonmel X Cashell X Fedard X Kilkenny XXV Dundalke X Kells X in all 580 Endox. It is easie, Irenæus, to lay a charge upon any towne, but to see how the same may be answered and defrayed, is the chief part of good advisement.-Spencer's view of the recent state of Ireland.-pp. 217-18. Mac Geoghegan, p. 508. quarter. Most of the English settlers, who occupied the lands of the Earl of Desmond, now abandoned their dwellings and were exposed to dreadful sufferings. The plantations was left without defence, and to add to the terrors of the insurrection, the country was menaced with a foreign invasion; all the castles of Desmond were recovered, except those of Askeaton, Castlemain and Mallow, and the insurrection having thus attained most formidable proportions in Munster, the Leinster and Ulster confederates returned home, leaving Tyrrell to organise the forces of the new Earl of Desmond. In this year (1598-99), 41st Elizabeth, when James Cromwell was Mayor, and Philip Roche and Thomas Burke were Bailiffs, James, the son of Thomas Geraldine began to wage war-against whom, Robert, Earl of Essex, Vicegerent of the queen, came to Limerick at the head of a great many of the most honorable of the nobility and with an immense army, and having proceeded with his army to Moneroura, and Adare, he fought fiercely there.1 In the Spring of 1599, O'Donnell, who had proceeded with Clanrickarde, and carried off great plunder, made an incursion into Thomond, where the insurrectionary spirit had already spread far and wide, not only by the success of O'Donnell, but by the bestowal of disproportionate honors on the Earl of Thomond and Lord Inchiquin, to the prejudice of the junior branches, who were greatly dissatisfied with the results of the insurrection. Such was the strength of the rebellion against the government at this time, that a particular return was given to the Lord Lieutenant of the number and disposition of the Irish in arms.2 Many of these had sworn at a public cross to be steadfast and true to their religion; and it was complained that even the Irish who were not out in action, were so backward in aiding the queen, that they who could bring 100 horse and 300 foot to dispute their private quarrels, would not bring six men to assist the state. Essex marching to Limerick, and thence to Askeaton, Desmond and Daniel MacCarthy More, lay in ambush for him; The ill management of the affair caused a feud between Thomas Plunkett and Pierce Lacy, in which the former was slain, while Henry Norris was slain in a bloody fight near Croom, and Desmond pursued Essex's rere for six days." On the 29th of April, 1600, the garrison of Kilmallock "took the prey of Loughgur," and soon after Barrett, Condon and the White Knight submitted to the President. In the May of this year the President caused it to be understood that, it was his intention to march to Limerick on the 6th of the month. The rebels consequently met in great numbers at Ballyhowra, and continued together for ten days; then partly for want of food, and partly because they believed the President would not or dare not pass that way, they separated." On the 21st of May, the President marched from Cork to near Mallow, and the next night near Kilmallock, the 24th to Bruff, where he left a garrison; on the 25th he came to Limerick. On the 23rd, James Galdy, brother to the Lord Cahir and with his privity, by the treachery of an Irish sentinel, surprised the Castle of Cahir, but by way of set off, Owen Grace, the Governor of Loughgur Castle, delivered it up for a bribe, "not exceeding £60." On the 30th of the same month, the President took Ballytarsney Castle, which the ward had deserted, and in which there was a great quantity of corn; part of his army destroyed Owney; the whole army then returned to Limerick, and garrisons were placed in Askeaton, Liccadowne, Kilmallock and Limerick. Before the President departed from Limerick, the Earl of Thomond invited him to the Castle of Bunratty. Captain Gawen Harvie, who had sailed from Cork the day the President marched from that City, anchored in the Shannon, and brought with him, to the comfort of the army, money, munition, provisions and clothing for the soldiers; a timely relief which prevented the loss of the summer service. The next morning, Captain Harvie was directed to go to the quay of Limerick, where after landing his charge, the President ordered him to go down the river with his ship and anchor opposite Glyn Castle, until he and the army had presented themselves before it. Dermot O'Connor, while the Sugan Earl lay in prison, took Ballyalinan, another Castle, belonging to Rory MacSheehy, and the president being in Limerick, O'Connor sent John Power, one of the ransoms, to tell him to draw all the forces he could gather to Kilmallock, which he did, and there the Lady Margaret after some days met him, in order that he should receive the sum of £1000 which was promised on the delivery of the prisoner. She told the President that Castleishin was besieged by the rebels, that her delay was occasioned by the dangers that lay in the road. The President proposed to raise the siege; but before the army had moved a mile, a messenger came and stated that the Earl had been rescued that morning, and that he saw him out of the Castle.4 Hibernia Pacata. 2 A.D. 1600 "The Victuals by reason of contrary winds, not being as yet come into the River of Shenan, the thirteenthe of this moneth he (Sir John Carew) was constrained for want thereof, to return to Limerick again by which returne, we having marched though exceeding strong fastnesse, incamped the first night before the Castle of Corgroge, seated upon the Shenan belonging to Master Trenchard the Vndertaker, and of strength sufficient to hold out against any force except the cannon. But the example of the Glynne was so fearful to the Rebels, that upon the first summons they yeilded the same, with safetie of their lives, and the President gave the custody of it to Oliver Stevenson. The next day, the armie marched twelve miles unto Adare, a Manor house, belonging to the Earles of Kildare, wholy ruined by Pierce Lacy, from thence the President sent seven hundred foot, and seventie five horse to Askeiton, there to remain in garrison and in the same year we find the following letter from James FitzThomas. Ibid. page 191. : "James FitzThomas his letter unto him. My good lord and cosen, your letters of the eighteenth of May, I received the five and twentieth of the same, wherein you relate the manner of your proceedings with the President at Corke, and also of his determination towards the west of my counterey. I thank God I prevented that which he expected here, for all the good pledges of the counterie are committed to Castlemague, for their constant behaviour in this our action; the President with his force is come to Limerick, and intended presently to order towards Askeiton, where I propose with my armie to resist him, I pray you the better to further the service, and the more to coole the bloody desire of our enemy, let me intreate you to put in effect the meaning of my last letters, by drawing your forces to joyn mee, which being done, I doubt not, under God, to performe service that shall redounde to the general quiet of the countrie, and so, referring the due consideration thereof (to your Lordshipp's carefull vsage) I commit you to the most mightie: From the camp at Adare, this first of June, 1600. "Your loving Cosen, "JAMES DESMOND." The sufferings of the garrison were so great that water could only be obtained by digging a subterranean passage to the river.-Hibernia Pacata. 3 Father to two brothers MacSheehy, who had been reserved as ransoms for O'Connor. 4 Castleishin is described in the Hibernia Pacata as near the great fastness of Connelloe. Its ruins are still visible in the townland of Knocktemple, county Cork, not far from the bounds of the county Limerick. The President and the Earl of Thomond set out in the commencement of July from Limerick, with a large muster of soldiers, marched westwards along the northern side of the Shannon, through Clare, until they arrived at Colemanstown, in East Corkabaskin; they then were ferried across the Shannon to the Castle of Glyn, before which they sat two days, and which they reduced with the heavy metal which had gone by water from Limerick, killing between twenty and forty gentlemen and plebeians of the Knight's people, who were guarding the castle, together with some women and children. The warders killed some of the President's soldiers. This victory inspired the President with such confidence, that he proceeded to demolish several castles in Kerry; and returning victorious with the Earl of Thomond to Limerick, the greater part of the inhabitants of Conneloe and of Kerry, deserting the Earl of Desmond, submitted, in appearance at least, to the Queen. The Earl now repaired with his few remaining forces to Castlemaine; the Knight of Glyn and Pierce Oge De Lacy3 alone siding with him. CHAPTER XIX. ARRIVAL OF EARL JAMES.- O'DONNELL'S INVASION OF THOMOND.-GAOL DELIVERIES.—FATE OF THE INSURGENTS AND THE SPANIARDS, &C. Ir was after the defeat of the Sugane Earl, that James, the young son of the Earl of Desmond, after being detained in captivity by Elizabeth for twenty-one years in London, as a hostage, in revenge of his father and father's brothers having rebelled against her, was released from bondage, after he had thrown himself on her mercy; and the English ministers and the Lord President concurred in the expediency of setting him up as a rival to the power and popularity of the former in Munster. An order was given to proclaim him as " an honorable Earl," by the authority of his sovereign (to whose presence he was admitted, and by whom he was saluted Earl of Desmond), throughout the assemblies and great towns of Munster. He arrived in Ireland, accompanied by a great force, in the month of October following, was welcomed at Cork by the President and the Earl of Thomond. They afterwards appeared in Mallow, Cork, and Limerick. On his arrival in 1 It would not have been easy to take the castle were it not that the Earl of Desmond's people had grievously dispersed from him.-Annals of the Four Masters. 2 Annals of the Four Masters. The Earl was subsequently taken prisoner in a cave in the mountains of Slieve Gort, county Tipperary, sent to London, where he died in the tower in 1608. Previous to this, the earl was nearly surprised at Lisbarry, county Cork, where he was in company with Edmond Magrath, Catholic Bishop of that see, who so successfully disguised himself as a beggar, that he was thought not worth hanging by the loyalists of the queen. His brother John settled in Barcelona. After James's death he took the title, as did also John's son Gerald, who served in the armies of Germany and Spain, and died in 1632; in him ended the heirs male of the four eldest brothers of Thomas the eighth Earl of Desmond. Previously to the seventeenth century Shannid Castle was held by the Earls of Desmond; the ancient war cry, "Shannid-Aboo" is the motto of the Knights of Glen, a still-existing branch of the Geraldines. "Crom-Aboo" the ancient war cry, too, from Croom Castle, in the county of Limerick, also, has been adopted as the motto of the Leinster Geraldines-the Duke of Leinster. Listowel was the only town that remained in possession of the Sugan Earl, town was taken in November by Sir Charles Volmant, the Governor of Kerry. name Wilmot himself.-Hibernia Pacata. and even that He wrote the |