upon his bill; but all the commodity goeth to the lord deputy, the clerks and the merchants, fo as the captain, to furnish his company, can get no money unless he will give 400 for 200 or 200 for 100, and after the like rate; and in this prowling manner your foldiers are paid.

Forafmuch as your majefty doth pay all in the end, you may (if it be your highness's pleasure) as well benefit your captains, and foldiers as other men's clerks, by fending an overplus of treafure to the lord deputy, to pay the old debt due only to captains, and foldiers, which few thoufands will difcharge; except it be one man, unto whom your majefty oweth five or fix thousand pounds, which (if it be your highness's pleasure) may with safe confcience be detained in your hands, because he hath fo ill deferved, through the difhonouring your majefty in the place wherein he ferveth.

And now (moft gracious fovereign) for that (as I have heard) it hath been credibly reported to your majesty, that the last Defmond's wars did coft but 40,000 pounds, thereby the rather to induce your highnefs to make wars upon the north, I have thought it my duty (under your majefty's protection) to fet down the truth thereof, whereby it may the more eafily be judged what the charge of these expected northern troubles may stand your highness in, by comparing the faid Defmond's wars and these together.

The charge of those wars to your majefty was high, notwithstanding the great fupplies then had of your subjects, and the great fuccour and affiftance of fundry caftles and good towns, which held firm and faithful to your majesty to receive and aid foldiers upon your all extremes; which towns and caftles ftood in most commodious places, not only to annoy, but utterly, in a manner, to overthrow the traitor, and all his co-partners. And where it coft your majesty then one pound, it coft your fubjects three, during all the time of those wars, which charge of your fubjects I can well make out; for the chief lord of one fmall village, who had but eight pounds yearly rent for the fame village, paid for one year's cefs to your highness's foldiers thirtyeight pounds sterling, whereof I was alfo an eye-witness. These wars I fay did stand your majesty in four thousand pounds at the leaft, for the monthly charge was 7000l. befides the victualling by fea. And yet after all this, your majesty afforded pardon to the basest rebel who then took arms against you, who yet liveth in view of your sftate.

The cause of thofe Defmond's wars, was even like to this in the north, through the great mistaking of the Defmond's adverfaries; and that it cost your majefty no lefs than I do here set down, Sir Henry Wallop can well testify.

Moreover, there are no helps to be hoped for in the north, either of caftles or towns, wherein to garrifon, or once lodge your VOL. II.

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majesty's foldiers, for the following and fuppreffing of those traitors; for those parts are merely void of fuch refuge. Again, all the friends to your highness in those countries are but two, O'Hanlon and Maginnes, and they uncertain, as your majesty may thus judge: for O'Hanlon is married to the Earl of Tyrone's fifter, and merely enriched by the earl; Maginnes his eldest fon is to marry the earl's daughter. And this affinity, in the manner of the Irish, is always to the party they see strongest; and when your majefty (as there is no doubt) fhall prevail, they will then feek favour and make offer of much service, but feldom or never perform any; whereof myself have been too often a witness. These things confidered, it may please your majefty, and honourable council, to be rightly and thoroughly advertifed, before there be wars made in the north parts, whatsoever by finister informations may be fuggefted to the contrary.

For it is not the north only your majefty fhall now have to deal withal, but your highness's whole province of Conaught fhall be in great peril of lofing, except Sir Richard Bingham be more strongly enabled or affifted than he is now, trufting to only one band of 100 foot and 50 horfe, wherewith I confess he hath done great fervice. Knockfergus, and the Clanboyes, which are now garrisoned only with 100 foot and 25 horfe (who have done your majefty no fervice by reafon of fuch bad commanders as have been appointed over them) cannot but be loft without a very great garrifon, and exceeding great charge; fo that your highness's realm of Ireland being now (as it were) divided into four parts, viz. Leinster, Munster, Conaught and Ulfter, will be in very great danger to be half loft; for Ulfter, is the earl's already and in Conaught there are divers who have been traitors not long fince (and yet scarce good subjects) who watch but fuch an opportunity. And in Leinfter there are many, who now ftir not, who will then arife in arms, namely, the Birns, the Tools, the Moores, the Connors, and the Cavanaughs; and many other as false traitors as thofe, who (if they once perceive troubles to increase in the north) will feek to moleft and offend the English pale, as they have done in times past.

And one fpecial matter more is to be thought upon, where your majefty, in all the wars of Shane O'Neale, had Tyrconnel faithful and ready to do your highness fervice, and to affift your foldiers, giving the traitor many overthrows (being then an utter enemy to all the Neals); now it's not fo, for O'Donnel is married to the earl of Tyrone's daughter, and is thereby fo linked to him, that no place of fuccour is left to your majesty's forces in all the north; for Sir John O'Dogherty (who was well affected to your majesty's fervice) is now in hold under O'Donnel, fo as no aid is to be expected from him. This poor gentleman hath been hardly used on both fides; firft, by Sir William Fitzwilliams, who imprisoned him, in hope to have had of him

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fome Spanish gold; and now by O'Donnel, because he shall not in these troubles annoy him.

To write of all other particularities belonging to the north, would be over-tedious. To conclude therefore (with your majesty's pardon) there are but two ways, either to accept of their own offers of fubmiffion and contribution, for defraying of the charge, in this difcourfe especially before mentioned, and fo to place your majefty's garrifons in their countries, thereby to hold them in continual obedience to your highnefs's profit, or elfe to make royal war upon them, and fo utterly to overthrow and root them up, through all the whole north of that kingdom, and plant others in their room or places. I may in no wife omit humbly to acquaint your majefty, what great hinderance unto your present fervice the stay of Sir Robert Gardiner his coming over is like to be, because that he can best truly report to your highness the state of Ireland, who (as he was specially chofen by your majefty to be a chief inftrument for the good of that poor kingdom, where he ever did, and doth minister such upright justice, as is void of bribery, affection, intreaty of friends, or fear of authority to over-rule him, thereby to do any thing unfit for a man of his place) can very hardly be spared from thence; yet, as the neceffity of this time importeth, it were (under pardon) most meet he were fent for with all fpeed; for that (as he can) fo he will, without fear of any, inform your majefty truly how the ftate of that your kingdom. now standeth, and fhew good means how to ftay this expected prefent fury, that is like to happen, to the utter ruin and cutting off many of your majesty's fubjects, and the exceeding exof your highness's treafure. There will be (no doubt) many reafons alledged to your majefty to ftay him there, but Í humbly befeech your highness not to hearken to them, for the authors of these troubles are afraid of his coming hither. But his inftant repair over, will more avail him than his stay there, although it's well known he doth (as far as his authority extendeth) afford the people justice, without begging it or buying it, which hath been too often bought and fold there. And your majefty may at your pleasure return him hither again when he hath done exceeding good service there: although I fear he will be loath (if either his own credit or friends may prevail) to go back thither any more, because he feeth he is not able to do your majesty such good service as he would and might, if he were more strongly affifted; moreover good deferts there, procure fcarce good opinion, or friends here.

pence

What mean I to fay thus much, when it is not to be amended? nay what pity it is that fo gracious a prince, as is your majefty, cannot help it! For thefe many years past your poor fubjects have been crying out for juftice, and could never get it; befides it's grown to fuch gain by corruption, that unless

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your majefty vouchfafe to take it upon yourself, or make fpecial choice of fome of your honourable council here to look into it, it will not be holden; for if it be referred (as it hath been) there will be fuch fhuffling, and so much time spent, to fave the credit of fome one, that thousands of your majefty's good fubjects fhall perish the while. And the rather, because advice is chiefly required of him, who is caufer of all thofe troubles; and that your majefty may the better judge what good can follow by his directions, let him fet down what service he did you when he had the whole authority in his own hands, whereby your highness may difcern the reft. I know (and thereon dare pawn my life) he cannot prove any one honourable or profitable service he did your majesty therein, at the time of his government.

Opinion is likewise required of some other counsellors now here, who can fay as little of those northern parts, as he who was never there.

This being moft true, let not (I humbly befeech your majefty) your poor realm of Ireland be trusting to the advice of fuch blind advisers: but vouchfafe your highnefs to be advised by those who know your fervice there, by their own experience, and eye-witness of that whereof they shall yield their opinion; and no one (of a counsellor) can do it better than Sir Robert Gardiner, because his circuit is northward, whereby he doth hear the griefs and discontentments of those people.

Moreover I most humbly befeech your majefty to be no longer abufed by lip-labour, and paper and ink; which have, thefe many years, gone for current payment, instead of good fervice; and in fhow of difcovering great and weighty causes, when in truth, they seldom tend to any fuch purpofe; but feeing your majefty doth pay them fo well, it may please you to require better fervice at their hands, whom your highness doth there put in trust.

If I have, in these my plain and fimple difcourfes, offended your majefty any way, I moft humbly afk pardon for the

fame.

As the physician cannot cure the disease of his patient, until he both know and take away the cause thereof, so neither are the calamities of your majeíty's kingdom of Ireland to be remedied, until your majesty be both rightly advertised of the fame, and put in practice the redress of the great abuses there; which can't be better done (in my simple skill) than by making an example of fome one who has ferved your majefty corruptly in that place; and the greater the perfonage is, the greater the justice, and the more your honour in making a precedent of fuch a one for your inferior officers can punish small offenders, but it is in your majefty only to correct the mighty tranfgreffors.

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And fo may your majefty (if fo you will vouchsafe) look down by degrees, and in time furvey your highness's captains, who ferve you there; difcerning, by a little obfervation, the good from the bad; which is eafily done, if every one be called to account, what service he hath done you, what traitors he hath cut off, having full authority for it, or elfe how your highness's fubjects have been defended by him and his foldiers. He who hath not performed one of thefe two, is unworthy to have command, or have pay.

Furthermore, when fome experienced captain fhall make offer of his beft endeavours, let him (if it please your highness) be hearkened unto, and especially when it tendeth greatly to the advancement of your majesty's fervice, without encrease of charge. And let them not (I befeech your highnefs) be put off fo grofsly as they have been, with faying, it is too fmall a proportion of foldiers to perform fo great a fervice. For that is not the cause (most dread fovereign), but this; if they fhould allow of thofe fervices, when they are offered, it would difcover, as many think, fome of their great abuses, which your majefty may perceive, when you fhall fee great fervices done with 100 where 500 have been employed, and your highnefs's fubjects no whit the better defended.

There is no well advised captain will make offer of service, but he hopeth to perform, or lofe his life; and especially when he shall not gain thereby; for his foldiers must be paid, or elfe they will not ferve; befides he must keep them, or else he cannot effect the fervice undertaken, fo that his only hope of gain refteth in reputation, reward, and preferment from your majesty, as he fhall deferve, and not in polling and pilling the foldiers, and your majesty's fubjects.

Thefe good fervices then being accepted, and the abuses reformed, there is no doubt but your majesty's kingdom of Ireland fhall quickly flourish in true fubjection and due obedience, to your majesty's honour and comfort; which I befeech the ALmighty to grant and continue.

The confideration (moft gracious fovereign) of my own eftate, who have engaged myself and my friends very far, for means to live, and do your majefty fervice, hath many times. (in the penning of this difcourfe) fought to withhold me from discovering to your highness these caufes of difcontentments of your poor people in that kingdom, and the bad managing of your majefty's affairs there, with the means of quieting them, of advancing your majefty's fervice, and advantaging your revenues, affuring myself that the doing of fuch an office would neither procure me any friends, nor pay any of my debts: besides it's againft my profeffion (being a foldier) to be a penman, or fo earnestly to feek for peace. Yet nevertheless, when I confidered what due honour may be done unto God,

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