would return to their old ill-rooted customs, whensoever they might see any time to take their advantage, according as they have ever yet done, and daily do. And if all the people of this land should be compelled to fall to labour (which they will never do, as long as they may find any country in the land to go unto), yet, after my opinion, there should not be found number sufficient to inhabit well the third part of the land.

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And how few English inhabitants be now within these four shires (of the Pale), Master Peche can inform your Grace, for he hath seen a good part thereof. And if your Grace should inhabit such countries, as should be won, with Spaniards, Flemings, Almaynes" (Germans), or any other nation, save only your own natural subjects, I fear, at length, they will rather be obedient to the prince of their native country, than to any other. The premises considered, after my poor opinion, the difficulty to conquer this land resteth in these three articles ensuing :

First, to furnish the army, that your Grace will have here, with money, until the conquest be perfected.

Secondly, how to furnish the said number with victuals, and carriage for the said victuals, ordnance, artillery, and all other stuff that must be occupied in building of strong fortresses.

Thirdly, how to find inhabitants in sufficient number, that will continue true subjects to your Grace, and your noble

succession.

V. IRISH NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE

EMPERORI

(1) An Envoy from the Earl of Desmond. [Thomas Batcock 2 to.... L. and P. Hen. VIII, IV. (ii), No. 4878.]

On the 16th instant a ship came to San Sebastian, from Ireland with four Irishmen. The chief man, named Sherek, a big man of person, is a great ruler, and holds a high place with the Earl of Desmond. He has brought hawks, and two brace of greyhounds to the Emperor, and letters of credence. His master and other gentles of Ireland desire the Emperor to take him and them as his subjects, because the King (Henry VIII) does not

* Desmond had negotiated with Francis I in 1523, and concluded a treaty by which he engaged to make war against Henry VIII as soon as a French army should land in Ireland. Francis never took any steps to put the treaty into execution, and the Irish transferred their allegiance to the Emperor after the divorce of Queen Catherine. Charles V had apparently no serious intention of sending an army to Ireland, especially when his envoy Fernandez reported that Desmond had no influence in Dublin, and that his enemies outnumbered his allies. He merely wished to frighten Henry VIII by stirring up sedition amongst his subjects.

• Batcock was an Englishman who lived in Spain, and was evidently a spy. He heard this news from Spaniards in Bilboa. See L. and P. Hen. VIII, IV. (ii), No. 4911.

administer justice, and because their first progeny came from Spain. They ask for handguns, artillery and powder. Sherek is gone to the Emperor at Toledo. Does not think he will be shortly dispatched. When he returns will find out what he has concluded. THE RENDRE (Renteria),

16 Oct., 1528.

(2) Instructions given by the King of Spain to his Chaplain, Gonzalo Fernandez, sent to treat with the Earl of Desmond (24 Feb., 1529). [Cal. Carew MSS., I. 42–3.]

You shall proceed with all haste to the place where the Earl is, and give him the letter which you carry for your credence. Some time ago an official of his household, named Galfrigidus, came to our Court, and delivered us a letter from him. He acquainted us with the Earl's desire for our friendship, and stated that his friends would be friends of our friends and foes of our foes. He requested us to send thither a trustworthy person, to learn the Earl's intention and power, and the means with which he could treat with me. Accordingly I send you to the Earl, for these purposes. He will find me disposed to do all I can for him and his friends. You shall learn what are his forces, and how he can employ them; and what he desires me to do on my part.

As to his request that we should comprehend him in any treaty between us and the King of England, you shall inform him that, although we have always endeavoured to continue in friendship with that King, he has nevertheless declared himself against me, in favour of the King of France my enemy, and has sent us a defiance; and that beguiled by evil persuasions, he is endeavouring to divorce himself from the Queen our aunt, his lawful wife, and to give the "ducado “ (duchy) of Ireland to a bastard son of his ; which we can in no wise suffer, as it is to the prejudice of the Princess, his only daughter and heir. We shall oppose it by all possible means, and trust the Earl will aid us with all his forces. We promise to include him in any treaty we make with the King of England.

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TOLEDO, 24 Feb., 1529.

[Original in Spanish.]

(3) Report of Gonzalo Fernandez to Charles V (28 April, 1529). [L. and P. Hen. VIII, IV. (iii), No. 5501.]

The 21st April, I disembarked at Dingle, and was well received by all the town, and by some knights despatched by the Earl to meet me. In four hours came the Earl himself, with about 500

The Milesians, who were supposed to have come from Spain to Ireland, were among the legendary founders of the Irish race. For some criticism of Irish legendary origins, see J. MacNeill, Celtic Ireland and Phases of Irish History.

horse and as many halberdiers. . . . He asked after the Emperor, who, I told him, was well, and sent commendations to him. We then banqueted upon the ground; after which the Earl and I withdrew with some of his Council into my chamber. Being asked to declare my credence, I gave it to the Earl in English, and afterwards by his desire declared it to his Council in Latin; viz., that the Earl's servant, Galfrigidus, having lately brought letters from him to the Emperor, expressing his desire to enter into strict amity with his Majesty, in which he agreed to hold as friends or enemies whomsoever the Emperor bade him, and desiring that the Emperor should send someone to arrange the terms, the writer had been sent accordingly.

On this the Earl talked awhile with his Council; then took off his bonnet, and expressed his gratitude to the Emperor, who had sent me to protect him, saying that his Majesty was placed in the world to prevent one prince from injuring another. He desired to consult how he might do his Majesty service in these countries, and began to tell me about his lineage, and the enmity his ancestors had borne to England, and the cause of it. I assured him of the aid and favour of the Emperor, and desired that he would put in writing what he had said about his lineage, and the cause of their enmity to England. . . . We then talked of the amount of aid he desired of the Emperor, when he asked for four great vessels of 200 tons, and six smaller ones, with artillery, and 500 Flemings in them. I shewed him this would not be reasonable, unless he first shewed what service he could do the Emperor. He said he would give the Emperor every security for his fidelity. I said he had nothing to give except in Ireland, and that even if the Emperor could have all Ireland, he required no security but his word of honour. And so we agreed that an article should be drawn up about it. The Earl always treated me very well, often sending me venison and cows to the ship. His greatest enmity is towards the Cardinal of England. He said he had been in alliance with France. . . but he promised henceforth to hold the French as enemies, as they were enemies to the Emperor.

In Ireland are 4 principal cities, of which Dublin is the largest and richest. The Earl has no possessions in that neighbourhood ... the other 3 are Waterford, Cork and Limerick, in all which he has many adherents. He has much power among the wild Irish. He has many knights who pay him tribute. There are 10 castles on his lands, one of which named Dungarvan, the King of England has in vain attempted to take.1

[Original in Spanish.]

Desmond added a note to this document in which he stated: "I have a firm alliance with the King of Scotland and frequent communication with him by letters and ambassadors."

(4) A Letter from O'Brien to Charles V. [A Letter in the M.S. Archives at Brussels, pr. by J. A. Froude as an appendix to the Pilgrim (1861), pp. 175-6.]

To the most sacred and most invincible Cæsar, Charles Emperor of the Romans, Most Catholic King of Spain, health with all submission :

Most sacred Cæsar, lord most clement, we give your Majesty to know that our predecessors for a long time quietly and peacefully occupied Ireland, with constancy, force, and courage, and without rebellion. They possessed and governed this country in manner royal, as by our ancient chronicles doth plainly appear. Our said predecessors and ancestry did come from your Majesty's realm of Spain, where they were of the blood of a Spanish prince, and many kings of that lineage, in long succession, governed all Ireland happily, until it was conquered by the English. The last king of this land was of my blood and name; and ever since that time our ancestors, and we ourselves, have ceased not to oppose the English intruders; we have never been subject to English rule, or yielded up our ancient rights and liberties; and there is at this present, and for ever will be, perpetual discord between us, and we will harass them with continual war. For this cause, we, who

till this present, have sworn fealty to no man, submit ourselves, our lands, our families, our followers, to the protection and defence of your Majesty, and of free will and deliberate purpose we promise to obey your Majesty's orders and commands in all honest behests. We will serve your Majesty with all our force; that is to say, with 1,660 horse and 2,440 foot, equipped and armed. Further, we will levy and direct for your Majesty's use 13,000 men, well armed with harquebuss, bows, arrows and swords. We will submit to your Majesty's will and jurisdiction more than 100 castles, and they and all else shall be at your Majesty's disposition to be employed as you shall direct..

Written at our castle at Clare... 21st July 1534, by your humble servant and unfailing friend.

CONNOR O'BRIEN, Prince of Ireland.

VI. THE REBELLION OF "SILKEN THOMAS"

(1) An Irish Account.

(1534-5)

[Annals of the Four Masters.3 (ed. and tr. O'Donovan), V. 1419-45.]

[1535] The Earl of Kildare, Lord Justice of Ireland (Garrett Oge), the son of Garrett, son of Thomas, the most illustrious of

I See p. 116 n. 3.

2 See p. 92 n. I.

3 These Annals, which are based upon older sources of the same kind, were written in Irish during the reign of Charles I, and so are not strictly contemporary authorities. See O'Donovan's Introduction to his monumental edition of the Annals, I. vii-liv.

the English and Irish of Ireland in his time, for not only had his name and renown spread through all Ireland, but his fame and exalted character were heard of in distant countries of foreign nations, died in captivity in London. After which, his son Thomas proceeded to avenge his father upon the English, and all who had been instrumental in removing him from Ireland. He resigned the King's sword, and did many injuries to the English. The Archbishop of Dublin came by his death through him, for he had been opposed to his father; many others were slain along with him. He took Dublin from Newgate outwards, and pledges and hostages were given him by the rest of the town through fear of him. The son of the Earl on this occasion totally plundered and devastated Fingall 2 from Slieve Roe 3 to Drogheda, and made all Meath tremble beneath his feet.

When the King had received intelligence of this he sent relief to the English, namely William Skeffington, as Lord Justice, and Leonard Grey, with a great fleet, and these proceeded to plunder all [the territory] that was under the jurisdiction of the Earl's son. They afterwards took Maynooth, Thomas's town, and expelled himself from his territory. When the aforesaid Englishmen were not able to make a prisoner of Thomas (after having taken his manors and towns from him, and driven him for an asylum to the Irish of the south of Ireland, especially to the O'Briens and O'Connor Faly, who all were a firm and powerful bulwark against them, and at war with them) they resolved in council to proffer him a pretended peace, and take him by treachery; 4 whereupon they sent Lord Leonard to the Earl's son, who promised pardon on behalf of the King, so that he coaxed him with him to England, where he was immediately seized and placed in the King's Tower, in bondage and captivity.

[1537] Thomas, the son of the Earl of Kildare, the best man of the English in Ireland in his time . . . [was] put to death in England on the 3rd of the nones of February; and all the Geraldines of Leinster were exiled and banished. The Earldom of Kildare was vested in the King . . . these were great losses, and the cause of lamentation throughout Ireland.

...

(2) Ordnance for Ireland. ["A Proportion thought necessary to be sent to Ireland for this present time" (1534). L. and P. Hen. VIII, VII, No. 1682.]

(i) A demi-cannon of brass with shod wheels, with ladle and John Alen, Archbishop of Dublin, was murdered at Artane on the 28th July, 1534. The territory (fine) of the foreigner (gall). This name was sometimes given to the Pale. 3 The Three Rock Mountain, near Dublin.

4 Lord Leonord Grey on his own responsibility promised "Silken Thomas" his personal safety, and so persuaded him to submit unconditionally to the King's mercy. The execution of the Earl did not reflect creditably upon the Government.