"The rebels forces," fays Borlase, "when Tirone was proclaimed a traitor, amounted to 1000 horse, and 6280 foot, in Ulfter; and 2300 in Connaught; all at Tirone's beck: whereas before, 800 foot, and 300 horse, were esteemed, on the government's fide, an invincible army."

99 15

CHA P. VI.

Defmond's infurrection.

THE Earl of Defmond's vaft estate in the province of Munster, was a strong temptation to the chief governors of Ireland to make, or to proclaim him, a rebel, their prey being insured to them, in either case, by his forfeiture. And, indeed, it doth not appear, that this earl, before he was proclaimed, had committed any overt act of treafon; unlefs his private family quarrels with the Earl of Ormond, about their refpective powers, and limits, can be deemed fuch." About

a

Is Reduct. of Ireland, p. 175-6.

a month

Sir William Drury, prefident of Munster, first attacked him on his own eftate in the county of Kerry," altho' king Edward III. made Kerry a county palatine, and granted to the Earls of Defmond all the royal liberties, which the king of England had in that county, excepting four pleas, viz. of burning, rape, foreftall, and treasure-trove." Baker's Chronicle,

f. 352.

Defmond," fays the fame hiftorian, " poffeffed whole countries, together with the county palatine of Kerry, and had of his own name and race at least five hundred gentlemen at his command; all whom, and his own life alfo, he loft within the fpace of three years, very few of the houfe being left alive." Id. ib. fol. 361.

b❝Ormond's relation to the Earl of Defmond," says Carte, "did not extinguish the animofity between the two families. The quarrel was renewed with fo much violence, that on Feb. 1, 1564-5, a bloody conflict happened between them at Affane, in the county of Waterford, in which Defmond was routed, and 280 of his men killed. Great part of Munster was wasted on occasion of this quarrel." Life of Orm. vol. i. f. liii.

a month before he was proclaimed, his countess had delivered up their only fon, together with Patrick O'Haly, bishop of Mayo, and Con. O'Rourke, a Franciscan friar, both nobly descended, (who had fled to her for protection) to Sir William Drury, lord juftice, at Limerick, as pledges of the earl's loyalty; nor can I find, that any thing but meer fufpicion was then alleged against him, and that only because he refused, or delayed, to draw out his forces against his brother John of Defmond, who appeared in arms against the queen.'

C

"Whilft he held off," fays the bishop of Chicester, "with delays, and delufions, he was declared a traitor, in the beginning of December, 1579; after which proclamation, the Chief Justice Drury appointed the war to be prosecuted against him, by the Earl of Ormond." But certainly, fuch fufpicion ought, in all equitable judgment, to have been removed, by his confenting

1

Bishop of Chicester's Thankful Remembrance, p. 43.

"When the Earl of Desmond attended Drury's fummons to Kilmallock, with a well appointed company of horse and foot, he was committed to cuftody on bare fufpicion; but, upon making the most folemn promises of loyalty, and fidelity, he obtained his liberty, retired from the camp, but refused to attend the deputy; and, therefore, was ftill confidered as a favourer of foreign invaders, and their cause. Upon this bare fufpicion, Malby attacked his town of Rathkeal. This the earl confidered as an unprovoked, and unwarrantable attempt, which he was justified in repelling. Malby prepares to reduce his caftles, but Drury's death prevents him. Defmond was now fummoned by Sir William Pelham (Drury's fucceffor); he refufed to comply, but ftill profeffed his loyalty. He was then ordered to deliver up one of his caftles, as a pledge of his fidelity (his fon was delivered up as fuch before,); his anfwer confifted of complaints of injuries. He was therefore, by proclamation, declared a traitor, if within twenty days he should not fubmit. In the mean time, his territories were, purpofely, made the feat of war, and expofed to all the ravages of a neceffitous army. Defmond, in revenge, appeared before the town of Youghall, took it, cut off a detachment fent to its relief; and, then firft declared for the catholic caufe." See Lel. Hift. of Ireland, vol. ii. from p. 259 to 277.

confenting to have his only fon delivered up as a pledge of his future loyalty; who, though but an infant, was carried to London, and detained a prisoner in the tower there, for many years after. The bishop and friar delivered up on the fame account, were both executed by Drury's order. It is no fmall confirmation of the earl's being previously innocent of any overt act of treason, that, when it was refolved in council to proclaim him a traitor; the Lords Gormanstown and Delvin refused to fign the proclamation, with the other counsellors, for which they incurred her majesty's displeasure.

d

e

But whatever exceffes Defmond committed after he was proclaimed, it is most certain, that he forely © regretted them; as appears by the following letter, written to the Earl of Ormond; who, though his near relation, had long been his rival and enemy, and was now appointed his judge.f

" MY

• Abbe Geoghegan's Hift. of Ireland, vol. iii. p. 434.

"The bills (fays Dr. Leland) proposed for the attainder of the Earl of Defmond, and his adherents, were not received without difficulty, and oppofition." Hift. of Irel. v. ii. p. 300.

e Desmond now faw his whole extent of territory ravaged, and depopulated without mercy; and, like an abject outlaw, was compelled to take shelter in his woods. His miferable vaffals were abandoned to daily flaughter, or to the still more horrid calamity of famine. When, at the time that their lives were spared, they were frequently bereft of all means of fupport, Hook affures us, that they were feen following the army, with their wives and children; and begging that all might be refcued from their miseries by the fword, rather than thus condemned to wafte in famine."-In this difmal fituation of the once great Earl of Defmond, "his countefs fell upon her knees before the lord deputy, and, with tears, petitioned, but in vain, that her husband should be received to mercy. His force, as a rebel, was now too inconfiderable, and his poffeffions to be forfeited were of too princely an extent, for the queen's ministers to admit of pardon, or fubmiffion." Lel. ib. vol. ii. p. 278-9. f Spencer's defcription of the calamities brought on the peo"Notwithple of Munster by this war, is really fhocking. ftanding," fays he, "that the fame was a most rich, and plen

"MY LORD,'

"GREAT is my grief, when I think how heavily her majefty is bent to disfavour me; and, howbeit I carry the name of an undutiful fubject, yet God knoweth, that my heart, and mind, are always most loyally inclined to ferve my moft loving prince, fo it may please her highness to remove her difpleafure from me. As I may not condemn myfelf of difloyalty to her majesty, so I cannot excufe my faults, but muft confefs I have incurred her majefty's indignation; yet when the cause, and means, which were found, and devised to make me commit folly, fhall be known to her highness, I reft in an affured hope, that her most gracious majefty will think of me as my heart deferv eth; as alfo of thofe, who wrung me into undutifulnefs. From my heart, I am forry that folly, bad counfels, flights, or any other things, have made me to forget my duty; and therefore, I am most defirous to get conference with your lordship, to the end I may open, and declare to you how tyrannoufly I was ufed; humbly craving, that you will vouchfafe to appoint fome time, and place, where and when I may attend your honour; and then I doubt not to make it appear, how dutiful a mind I carry; how faithfully I have, at my own charge, ferved her majefty, before I

was

3 Scrinia Sacra.

tiful country, full of corn and cattle.-Yet, ere one year and a half, they were brought to fuch wretchednefs, as that any ftony heart would rue the fame. Out of every corner of the woods and glynns, they came creeping forth upon their hands, for their legs could not bear them; they looked like anatomies of death; they spake like ghofts crying out of their graves, they did eat the dead carrions, happy where they could find them, yea, and one another soon after; infomuch, as the very carcaffes they fpared not to fcrape out of their graves, and, if they found a plot of watercreffes or fhamrocks, there they flocked as to a feaft for the time, yet not able to continue there withal; that, in fhort fpace, there was none almost left, and a moft populous and plentiful country fuddenly left void of man, and beaft." State of Ireland, p. 158.

was proclaimed; how forrowful I am for my offences, and how faithfully I am affected ever hereafter to ferve her majesty; and fo I commit your lordship to God. (Subfcribed,) GIRALD DESMOND."

Whether the conference fo earnestly defired in this letter was obtained, or not, does not appear. We only know," that Kelly of Morierta, (of whom the Earl of Ormond had taken affurance of his fighting against the rebels) with twenty-five of his kearn, did in the night-time affault the Earl of Desmond in his cabin, then deserted by all his friends. Kelly entering the hut found that all were fled, but one man of venerable afpect, ftretched languidly before a fire. The leader affailed, and wounded him. He exclaimed, "Spare me, for I am the Earl of Defmond." Kelly fmote off his head, and brought it to the Earl of Órmond; by whom it was conveyed to the queen, and impaled on London-bridge." h

Upon

+ Carte's Ormond, vol. i. Leland's Hift. of Ir. vol. ii. p. 288.

* The Irish annalifts, and other catholic writers, do not fcruple to fay, "That the vengeance of God was signal in this event," on account of this earl's having committed great cruelties on his taking of Youghall, "which he gave up to plunder, not sparing even the churches, and whatsoever was facred, which his foldiers polluted and defiled, bringing every thing to utter confufion and defolation, and making havock, as well of facred veitments and chalices, as of any other chattel. Certain Spaniards, adds my author, who were with them, at that wicked exploit, perceiving by the furniture and ornaments of the churches, that the town's-men were all catholics, and containing their hands from plunder, were reproved by fome of that wicked company, for that they took not part of the spoil, as others did: but they answered, that they ought not to rob or fpoil better chriftians than themselves; and one of the faid Spaniards cut his cloak, as St. Martin did, in five parts, and distributed the fame upon five children, that were stripped of their cloaths, and left naked by fome of the kearns." Theatre of Catholic and Proteftant Religion, p. 436.

h The Earl of Defmond," fays Morriffon, "flying into the woods, was there in a cottage killed, and his head cut off; be