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

On 14th March 1, your Deputy, with your army, besieged the castle of Maynuth, which Thomas Fitzgerald so strongly fortified with men and ordnance, "as the like hath not been seen in Ireland since any your most noble progenitors and (had?) first dominion in the land." Within the same were about 100 able men, of whom more than 60 were gunners. On the 16th "your ordnance was bent to the north-west side of the dungeon of the same castle, which did batter the top thereof on that wise, as their ordnance within that part was dampned." Then your ordnance was bent upon the north side of the base court of the castle, "at the north east end whereof there was new made a very strong and fast bulwark, well garnished with men and ordnance; which the 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd days of the said month did beat the same by night and day on that wise, that a great battery and a large entrance was made there." On the 23rd, being Tuesday next before Easter day, a galiard assault was given, and the base court entered. About 60 of the ward of the castle were slain, and of your army only John Griffin, yeoman of your guard, and six others.

We next assaulted the great castle, which yielded; "wherein was the Dean of Kildare, Christopher Paris, captain of the garrison, Donaugh O'Dogan, Master of the Ordnance, Sir Simon Walshe, priest, and Nicholas Wafer, which took the Archbishop of Dublin, with divers other gunners and archers to the number of 37, which were all taken prisoners and their lives preserved by appointment, until they should be presented to me your Deputy, and then to be ordered as I and your Council thought good." We thought it expedient to put them to execution as an example to others. Accordingly on the Thursday following, in the morning they were examined, and their depositions written, and in the afternoon they were arraigned before the provost marshal and captains, and upon their own confessions adjudged to die. Immediately 25 of them were beheaded and one hanged before the gate of the castle. Divers of the heads of the principals were put upon the turrets of the castle. We send their depositions enclosed. Amongst them was a priest who was "privy with the traitor," and deposes that the Emperor promised to send hither 10,000 men by the 1st May, and that the King of Scots also promised to give aid to your rebel. The inhabitants of this land do no believe that the rebel will hereafter obtain your pardon as his ancestors divers times did, and say that, if he did, it would be their undoing. Therefore divers of them adhere to him.

Praise the circumspect demeanor of Mr. Paulett since his coming hither. "He not only pronounced your pleasure after such sort and fashion to the captains here, that they have ordered and demeaned themselves since, and done your Grace better service than they did before, but also the said Master Paulett hath taken such diligent pains and labours in the field for the setting forth of this last enterprise of Maynuth, and all other things for your Grace's honour, as we have considered so much forwardness to grow by him, that we have made instance unto him to tarry here for a season for the quieting of the army." On the coming of Sir John Sentlowe, he shall return with further answer to you of the state of affairs.

Manor of Maynuth, 26 March. Signed: William Skeffington; [J. Lord] of Trymleteston, Chancellor; J. Rawson, Prior of Kyllmaynam; Willm. Brabazon; Patrick Fynglas, Justice; Thomas Luttrell, Justice; Gerald Aylmer, Baron; John Allen, Master of the Rolls; Patrick White, Justice.

Copy.

Printed in "State Papers," II. 236, from the original in the Record Office.

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 51.