Catalogue description GERALD AYLMER, Chief Justice, and JOHN ALLEN, Master of the Rolls, to CROMWELL.

We landed here the 1st inst., and the Lord Leonard (Grey) two or three days before us. Since our departure six of the eight hundreds or baronies in Kildare have been burnt, and many burnings and wastes have been done in Meath. If Mr. Treasurer had not fortified the Naas "with part of the army, Thomas Ewstace, and such horsemen and kerne as he retained," the Naas and the rest of Kildare, and the county of Dublin, would have been destroyed to the gates of Dublin. While he was defending these parts, the Tholes razed Powers Courte, a fair garrison, the building whereof cost the old Earl of Kildare and the inhabitants of the county of Dublin 4,000 or 5,000 marks. Four or five days before our arrival, the traitor, with the aid of O'Chonnour, assaulted again the court and castle of Rathangan, wherein was the retinue of Sir William Bre[re]ton, who yielded the castle. This was brought to pass by the tradiment of Felom Boy O'Chonor, whom, after he was arraigned of divers treasons, murders, and felonies before us at Kildare, before our last coming into England, my Lord Deputy put in trust for the victualling and oversight of the said garrison. On Mr. Treasurer's proceeding thither, Thomas [Fitz Gerald.] and his company fled. Sir James Fitz Gerald took upon him the keeping of the castle.

The Tuesday after our arrival, Mr. Treasurer, intending a journey into Allon and those parts where the traitor was succoured, sent for O'More and his company. "There went with him William Sentlow and all his brother's company, (for Sir John lieth sick,) Sir William Brerton's company, Dacres and Musgrave, Thomas Ewstace, Sir James Fitz Gerald, his brother Walter, and divers other of the gentills of the county of Kildare. After they had entered into Allon, and burnt and rifled the country, O'More caused all the Englishmen to depart as though they were going homeward, and assigned every of the companies, both horsemen and footmen, how they should divide and keep standings in the valleys and strites (straights), and he sent a certain of his kerne to skirmish upon the moor's side with Thomas and his company, and they followed the train into the plain. And in the meantime O'More lighted afoot with all his men and came on the backside of them, betwixt them and their fastness, so as he and our company had him and all his to the number of 3 or 400 in the plains amongst them, that they could never have escaped man if our party had done their devours; for our Northern men, whilst the train was making, left their standings, and ran away with the booty, leaving their gap at large; and in that way escaped the most of them; and as for Sir James, Walter, his brother, and all the Geraldines, suffered them to pass by them. O'More would kill never one of Thomas's men, but of O'Chonnor's; yet many was killed, and the most of them by Master Treasurer and such of his own company as stood with him; and by Thomas Ewstace divers prisoners were taken, and let go again by the said Geraldines and by the Dempcies, being in O'More's company; among whom the traitor himself was taken (as the common report is) and let go again. Burnell, of Balgriffen, and the said Felom Boy O'Chonor with O'More, (which Felom is delivered to the custody of Thomas Ewstace,) William Ketinge, captain of the Ketinge kerne, and divers other were taken prisoners."

On the 3rd inst. we repaired to Mr. Treasurer, sending to the Lord Deputy to know his pleasure, where we and the Council should wait upon him for delivery of the King's letters and declaring the King's pleasure. He appointed us the Monday following at the hill of the Lions, for all the towns of this country are sore infected with the pestilence, and especially Dublin. My Lord Leonard and we attended upon him. If we had not come, this land had been as nigh lost as ever it was, for my Lord Deputy had appointed 1,000 kerne, many horsemen, and galloglas, "to be in an holding upon the country for a quarter of a year; the charges thereof and other impositions would have surmounted 3l. 6s. 8d. every six score acres of land, besides the lord's rent, which either [should] have been occasion of universal rebellion" or the desolation of the country. In common assemblies of the country we pacified the people and showed them that the King's mind was not to have them so to be undone, "for if he had, he would never have so relieved them with this money." [Evidently a mistake for army.] They granted to find a 1,000 kerne during this journey into O'Chonnor's country. "No doubt this war against O'Chonor and Thomas must be most excellent by kerne, and yet, as my Lord of Norfolk knoweth, O'Chonor and Thomas of themselves, besides the succour of the Brenes, cannot make a 1,000 kerne; and besides them, yet is there 300 kerne found at the King's charge in the county of Kildare."

We have delivered William Ketinge at large upon hostages and sureties. He has undertaken to drive Thomas Fitz Gerald out of the fastness of the county of Kildare, and has allured from him most of the Ketinge kerne. "Since the said good day which Mr. Treasurer had upon him, and the delivery of the said William, the said Thomas hath not done any hurt, neither dare tarry in the county of Kildare, but the poor people resort again to their corns to reap and gather them that be left."

On Saturday last my Lord Leonard, Mr. Treasurer, and we, met with O'More, by Kildare, "and have acquainted and bound my Lord and him togethers." Chaire O'Chonor, O'Chonor's brother, came thither, and is sworn and bound by sureties and "slauntiaghs" of O'More and others, to take the King's part against his brother and Thomas, upon certain conditions mentioned in writing. One is, that he shall have at the King's wages 12 horsemen and 160 kerne. "On Tuesday my Lord Leonard, Mr. Treasurer, and we, went to Rathangan, as well to view the keeping of the said garrison, as meet the said Chaire O'Chonor, for the view of his company, with whom and our own we entered the wood in the marshes besides Rathangan, wherein Thomas had a strong house made all of earth," which we burnt.

The Deputy is as evil and worse in his health than he was at our departure from thence. [Qu., mistake for hence.] At his last being in Drogheda for the conclusion of peace with O'Neile and others of the north of Ireland, "sitting in the Council, he was almost dead among them." If the Treasurer had not set to his hand, the land had been destroyed. The lordship of Mainoth, which was worth 400 marks by the year, where the Deputy lies, is made waste to the gates of the castle. "If he rise before 10 or 11 of the clock, he is almost dead or noon." He was appointed to set forth toward O'Chonnor's country on Monday last, this day being Saturday, but is not gone, and my Lord Leonard and the army lie in the field spending their victuals. My Lord Butler, with six score horsemen and 500 footmen, O'More, and Chaire O'Choner, do likewise. As the winter is drawing nigh, and the King is determined that Lord Leonard shall be Deputy, the King, at the return of Mr. Agard, should send for the other home, and a patent for Lord Leonard, with a clause for the holding and continuing of the Parliament, which will be summoned as soon as this journey is finished. Mr. Treasurer and we will endeavour ourselves that the King's causes shall take effect.

The journey southward for the breaking of O'Breene's bridge will probably not take effect this year, as the summer is so far spent, and the Deputy will not allow any other to execute such an enterprise. "Carriage cannot well pass," in consequence of the continual rains, and all the artillery which came hither will not furnish this army for such a far journey. "Of 1,600 men being here at the landing of the same, there were not 400 of them furnished with weapons, the lack whereof they object for their excuse, both of the destruction of the country, and the dishonesty they took in O'Choner's country." Above all, there is lack of money, which has hindered the doing of much good service. The army is a month's wages behind. Master Agarde, in the muster and payment of the army, has used himself like an honest man. We beseech you to give him credence touching the premises.

The 100 Welsh horsemen have been discharged out of wages. We beseech you, according to the King's appointment at our being there, that the bearer may bring with him in their steads 100 horsemen to Mr. Treasurer. If he have them not, the Earl of Kildare's tributes cannot be levied. The Lord Chancellor has delivered me [The last six lines in the original were written by Allen, to whom Lord Trimletiston delivered the Great Seal.] the Great Seal, to be kept until the King shall appoint a meet Chancellor.

The Naas, 21 August.

Signed: Gerald Aylmer, Justice; John Allen, Master of the Rolls.

Copy.

Printed in "State Papers," II., 263, 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 57.