Catalogue description SIR WILLIAM SKEFFINGTON, LORD DEPUTY, to HENRY VIII.

"I, with your army, that took shipping at Chester, Lyrpole and in those parts, are arrived at your city of Dublin, where was landed at the first Sir William Brereton and John Salisbury with their company, and I, your Treasurer, and the Northern captains kept the sea, abiding wind that would a served to Waterford, which was contrary to us." We learnt that the traitor, Thomas Fitz Gerald, had made proclamation that all his power should be in their "most fensable array," to wait upon him at a place called Skeris by 7 o'clock in the morning, thinking I should land there, but I had knowledge of his intention, and made sail to the said place, "to the intent that the captains that went to Dublin might the more safelier go a land, for the haven there is of no less danger than I wrote" to Master Secretary (Cromwell). When we came thither we saw divers men, both on horseback and on foot, but no army. I armed the ship-boats with ordnance and men; put a certain number ashore; burned in that haven four vessels which could not be carried away, and spoiled them of all their tackling; and brought certain small boats away. We were then driven by dangerous weather to harbour at Lambay, where on the morrow after we perceived Brode, the pirate, under sail. I sent two ships after him, which chased him to Drougheda, "and, at the passing in of the bar of the same, bowged him, so that he ran his vessel a land, and went himself to the shore," and our ships could follow him no further.

At their return, letters came to me from the Mayor of Dublin and Chief Justice, stating that the Earl of Ossory had sent a messenger to them with credence, "which was, that he would not fail within two days after to be at Dublin." Moreover, the said Mayor and Justice, with both the captains there landed, wrote to me that, unless I landed there with the horsemen, the country would be utterly undone. The Treasurer and I consulted together, and considering the coming of the Earl of Ossory, the destruction of the English pale by the rebels, that divers of our horses had died on ship-board, and that the wind was contrary, we thought best to land there, and did so.

When we were landed at Dublin, by the advice of the Council, I sent a letter to the Mayor of Drougheda and his brethren, commanding them to apprehend Brode and his company. Notwithstanding the great dread which they had of the rebellion, they obeyed, and took Brode with 9 of his mariners, and put them in sure jail. I sent a ship to bring them to the castle of Dublin, where they now remain. The rebel, hearing thereof, sent word to the Mayor of Drougheda, that he would besiege the town and utterly destroy it, naming a certain night to be there. The said Mayor and his brethren sent a messenger to advertise me of the same. The Council agreed that the whole army of horsemen and footmen should march forward to give battle to the said rebel, or remove the siege if he kept his appointment. We continued there from Wednesday till the Tuesday following, and he never came near us. "I and your Council that was there, as Sir William Breerton and John Salisbery," proclaimed the said Thomas Fitzgerald at the high cross on the market day "as the most notorious rebellion and arrant traitor that ever was born." We intended to have had him denounced accursed by your Chancellor there, but he demanded leisure "to have counsel of them that were about him learned;" and he and they made answer that it might not lawfully be done by him, till the Dean of St. Pulcars and the Prior of Christchurch of Dublin, who are Vicars General, sede vacante, had solemnly declared the sentence first, and then he would follow the same.

After this, the said captains and I sent letters to all the gentlemen of Uriell and Meath, commanding them "to come in and show themselves as the King's true subjects, and to renounce untruths and misdemeanors, which with their wills or against their wills had followed the said traitor." Very few have refused, and even they excused themselves because the way was so dangerous. We have also written letters to all the captains in the north parts, "which, at my being here, bear their good wills and service to your grace and me." From divers of them I have good answers. The rest have not yet answered, because the way is very dangerous to messengers, and there are many waters through the great rains. The said rebel so shifts from place to place that as yet "we cannot come to give none adventure." I dare not make many privy to secret counsels, besides the Treasurer and the said [two] captains.

Dublin, 11 Nov. Signed.

Copy. Addressed.

State Papers II. 205.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, ed. J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen (6 vols., 1867-73), vol. I, document 47.