great number of his relations, to an entertainment, where they lived together in great harmony, making good cheer for three days and nights; when, on a sudden, O'Nial was surprised with an arrest, together with his brother and wife, by the earl's order. His friends were put to the sword before his face; nor were the women and children spared: he was himself, with his brother and wife, sent to Dublin, where they were cut in quarters. This increased the disaffection, and produced the detes. tation of all the Irish; for this chieftain of Claneboy, was the senior of his family, and as he had been universally esteemed, he was now as universally regretted." We do not find, however, that any remarkable commotion was excited on this account; or that any immediate provocation on the part of the Irish, was so much as pretended, for so barbarous an act of perfidy." After the 19th year of queen Elizabeth, viz. anno 1577, the Lords of Connaught, and O'Rorke," says Morrisson " made a composition for their lands with Sir Nicholas Malby, governor of that province; wherein they were content to yield the queen so large a rent, and such services, both of laborers to work upon occasion of fortifying, and of horse and foot, to serve upon occasion of war, that their minds seemed not yet to be alienated from their wonted awe, and reverence to the crown of England. Yet, in that same year, an horrible massacre was committed by the English, at Mulloghmaston, on some hundreds of the most peaceable of the Irish gentry, invited thither on the public faith, and under the protection of government. The fact is thus literally translated+ from the Irish annals. of queen Elizabeth's reign. "The calends of January, on Tuesday, 1577. In this year the English of Leinster and Meath, committed horrid murders on such of the O'Mores and 6 History of Ireland, fol. ed. p. 3. 7 Lee's Memorial, MSS. Trin. Col. Dub. "Such relations," as Dr. Leland justly observes on this occasion, "would be more suspicious, if these annals in general expressed great virulence against the English, and their government. But they do not appear to differ essentially from the printed histories, except in the minuteness with which they record the local transactions, and adventures of the Irish. And sometimes they expressly condemn their countrymen, for their rebellions against their prince."-History of Ireland, vol. ii. p. 258. † By Charles O'Conor, of Balanegare, Esq. as likewise the former. O'Conors, and others of the King's and Queen's County as kept the peace, sued for protection, and held no correspondence with those of their kindred, who still stood out in arms against the English government. "The English published a proclamation, inviting all the well affected Irish to an interview on the Rathmore, at Mulloghmaston; engaging at the same time, for their security, and that no evil was intended. In consequence of this engagement, the well affected came to the Rathmore aforesaid, and soon after they were assembled they found themselves surrounded by three or four lines of English and Irish horse and foot, completely accoutred, by whom they were ungenerously attacked, and cut to pieces; and not a single man escaped." 8 To this massacre, the memorialist before mentioned, probably alluded, when he complained, that her majesty's servants, who were placed in authority, to protect men for her service, had drawn unto them, by such protection, three or four hundred of the Irish, under color to serve her majesty; and brought them to a place of meeting, where her garrison-soldiers were appointed to be; who there, most dishonorably, put them all to the sword. This,” adds he, "was done by the consent and practice, of the lord deputy for the time being." CHAP. IV. Motives for the general discontent in Ulster. I IN the year 1589, "When Sir William Fitzwilliams entered upon the government, Ireland was in the best estate that it had been in for a long time, not only peaceable and quiet, but so as any, the greatest lord, called by letter or messenger, readily came to the state; and none of them were known to be any way discontent. But, within three months after his taking the sword, having been informed, that the Spaniards lately wrecked upon the coasts of Connaught and 8 Lee's Memorial, MSS. Trin. Col. Dub. * "Those (Spaniards) who were shipwrecked in Ireland, and cast a-shore, were all put to the sword, or perished by the hands of the execu Ulster, had left with the inhabitants great store of treasure, and other riches, he greedily sought to get it into his hands, pretending the queen's service, as appeared by a commission, by which he first essayed to seize the same; but that not taking effect, he made a journey himself into these parts, where, altogether failing of his purpose, he brought thence with him, as prisoners, two of the best affected gentlemen to the state, that were in those parts, whom he deemed to possess the greatest part of the treasure, namely, Sir Owen Mac Tooly, father-in-law to the earl of Tirone, who had long enjoyed a pension of two hundred pounds a year from the queen, and Sir John O'Dogherty. The former refusing to pay for his enlargement, continued prisoner till the beginning of Sir William Russel's government, who in pity discharged him; but the old gentleman's heart was first broken, so as shortly after he died. The latter was released, after two years restraint; but not without paying for his liberty. At tioner; the lord deputy, by whose orders it was done, fearing they would side with the rebels; at least this was the pretence made use of, to excuse this barbarity."-Tis said, that on the coast of Ireland, seventeen ships, and five thousand three hundred and ninety-four men were then destroyed. -Rapin's Hist. of England, vol. ix. p. 122. note. * "Sir William Fitzwilliams," says Borlase," was accused of too much rigor in enquiring after the spoils and wrecks at sea, which happened on some of the invincible (Spanish) navy being split in Ireland; and the ensuing war is laid to his charge.”—Reduction of Ireland, p. 141. "Sir John Perrot, upon delivering the sword to Sir William Fitzwilliams, declared, that he left the kingdom in peace; and that now, though a private man, he would engage to bring in any suspected leader within twenty days, without violence or contest. He embarked with the acclamations, particularly of the lower order of the people, who felt the benefits of his administration. Old Tirlagh, of Tirowen, followed him to the water side bathed in tears."-Leland's Hist. p. 311. "In 1584, this deputy (Sir John Perrot) prevailed on the people of Connaught to consent to an assessment, or composition, whereby eleven hundred troops might be maintained in their province, without charge to the queen; a concession utterly astonishing to those of the council, who attended on the lord deputy; and who had exclaimed against the attempt, as dangerous, and impracticable.”—Leland's, Ib. p. 294. “Nevertheless, the people in Connaught (says the same historian) were severely governed by Sir Richard Bingham; the sheriffs and other officers of justice followed the example of lord president (Bingham), they entered the several counties, attended with large bodies of armed men, pillaging the inhabitants, whom they affected to despise.”—Id. p. 302. this hard usage of these two Ulster gentlemen, all the great men of the Irish, especially in those northern parts, did much repine. "The loyal Irish," says Dr. Leland, " on this occasion, trembled for their own safety, and the disaffected were confirmed in their inveteracy." About the year 1590, died M'Mahon, chieftain of Monaghan, who in his life-time had surrendered his country into her majesty's hands, and received a re-grant thereof, under the broad seal of England, to him and his heirs male; and in default of such, to his brother Hugh Roe M'Mahon, with other remainders. And this man dying without issue male, his said brother came up to the state, that he might be settled in his inheritance, hoping to be countenanced and cherished, as her majesty's patentee. But he found as the Irish* say, he could not be admitted, until he promised six hundred cows, for such and no other, were the Irish bribes. He was afterwards imprisoned for failing in part of his payment; and in a few days enlarged, with promise that the lord deputy himself, would go and settle him in his country of Monaghan; whither his lord, ship took his journey shortly after, with M'Mahon in his company. At their first arrival, the gentleman was clapt into bolts; and in two days after, he was indicted, arraigned, and 2 Morrisson's History of Ireland, fol. 10. * On occasion of this manner of expressing himself, which Morrisson often makes use of, the reader is desired to take notice of the following passage. "This, says he, I write of hearsay; but as in the general relation following, I purpose to write nothing which is not warranted, either by relations presented to the queen by the principal counsellors of Ireland, or by letters interchanged between the states of England and Ireland, or like authentical writings; so for the particulars of the above-named lord deputy, (Sir William Fitzwilliams) if, perhaps, some may think any thing observed by me to derogate from him, I protest, that whatsoever I write, is, in like sort, warranted, and may not be omitted without the scandal of historical integrity, being objections frequently made by the rebels, for excuse of their disloyalty, as well in all their petitions, as treaties of peace." Morrisson's Hist. of Ireland, f. 8.—He afterwards indeed, mentions, what he calls an honorable answer of the deputy, to part of this charge, in which answer it is affirmed, "that the country seemed glad of M'Mahon's execution." But this Morrisson himself, in the same page, flatly contradicts. Ib. f.11.-And he further protests, "that he would most willingly have inserted his full justification, if any such memorial had come to his hands."Ibid. fol. 8. executed at his own door* ; all done, as the Irish said, by such officers as the lord deputy carried with him for that purpose from Dublin. The treason, for which he was condemned, was, because two years before, he pretending a rent due unto him, out of Fearney, levied forces and made a distress for the same; which, by the English law, adds, my author, may, perhaps, be treason; but in that country, never before subject to law, it was thought no rare thing, nor great offence. The marshal, sir Henry Bagnal, had part of the country; capt. Hensflower was made seneschal of it, and had M'Mahon's chief house, and part of the land; and to divers others, smaller portions of land, were assigned; and the Irish spared not to say, that these men were all the contrivers of his death; and that every one was paid something for his share. « Certain it is," says the same historian,3 "that, upon M'Mahon's execution, heartburnings, and loathings of the English government, began to grow in the 3 Morrisson's History of Ireland, fol. 10. "The deputy caused M'Mahon to be tried by a jury of common soldiers, and then to be hanged up.”—Baker's Chronicle, fol. 378. "The Irish who have once offended (says Lee in his memorial to queen Elizabeth) live they never so honestly afterwards, if they grow into wealth, are sure to be cut off by one indirect means or other." Of this he gives the following melancholy instance. "In one of her majesty's civil shires, there lived an Irishman peaceably and quietly as a good subject, many years together, whereby he grew into great wealth: which his landlord thirsting after, and desirous to remove him from his land, entered into prac. tice with the sheriff of the shire to dispatch this simple man, and divide his goods between them. Whereupon they sent one of his own servants for him, and he coming with him, they presently took his man and hanged him, and keeping the master prisoner, they went immediately to his dwelling, and shared his substance, which was of great value, between them, turning his wife and many children to begging. After they had kept him (the master) fast for a season with the sheriff, they carried him to the castle of Dublin, where he lay bye the space of two or three terms, and he having no matter objected against him, whereupon to be tried by law, they by their credit and countenance (being both English gentlemen, and he, who was the landlord, the chiefest man in the shire) informed the lord deputy so hardly of him, as that, without indictment or trial, they executed him; to the great scandal of her majesty's state, and the impeachment of her laws. Yet this, and the like exemplary justice (adds he) is ministered to your majesty's poor subjects there."-See Append. No. 1. |