Catalogue description WILLIAM BODY to CROMWELL.

The 20th of July last my Lord Deputy removed out of Dublin with the retinue of Englishmen "towards his pretended voyage" into Munster and into O'Bryne's country, and on the 24th entered into Kilkenny, where the Parliament was kept on the 25th. Thence he removed towards a strong castle of James of Desmond, called Lokkere, distant from Kilkenny about 36 miles Irish, which the Lord Treasurer, captain of the van-ward, took on the 31st "without any hand stroke, because the said James of Desmond left it desolate and unwarded." It is now warded by the Lord Treasurer at his own charges. The army at that time commonly reported that the same castle was the chief fortress of the said James in the county of Limerick. It "standeth very pleasantly upon the foot of an island, containing 80 acres, environed with a great water, and mountains and rocks without the same, munyted and warded more by nature than by man's hand."

From thence, on 1st August, the army marched to a very strong castle called Carek Ogunyell, "in English, Candell Rokkes," which was delivered to my Lord Deputy on the 2nd by one Matthew O'Bryne, "without any hand stroke," on condition that it should be warded only by Englishmen. It stands upon a high rock about four miles from Limerick, and half a mile this side the water of Shenon, and "is the key of all the county of Limerick a this side the same river, upon the border of Decemond's lands." With the manor thereto pertaining, it belongs to the King, as parcel of the Lord Clerre's lands, "and by report of the Chief Justice it is (if it were inhabited) in yearly value of 1,000 marks, but after mine opinion esteemed of less value."

On the 5th August we departed from Limerick to break Morowgh O'Bryne's bridge, on the confines of Tomound. Morowgh O'Bryne, as I am informed, is brother to Great O'Bryne. The bridge was of old timber and in length 300 paces, with two fortresses at either end, which were broken down with bills, swords, daggers, stakes, and mattes, "made there with great travail and labour of poor men, because that lacked which should have been provided by my Lord Deputy, mattocks, pickaxes, crows of iron, spades, shovels, and other ordnances necessary for the breaking down of such manner works; which fortresses, edified after the manner of blockhouses, were of hard stone, strongly builded, not thoroughly finished, in such wise that neither one culverin nor yet six falcons and a sacre of brass could very scarcely perish them, but at certain lopes, and that was very little; and when guns little prevailed then assault of men was prepared by my Lord Deputy, which was chosen chiefly out of William Seyntlowe his retinue, and scaling ladders prepared, but the activity of William Seyntlowe his soldiers so appointed for the same assault was such that both fortresses were taken by them before the scaling ladders could be set up or any other could enter; and whether this enterprise and feat of arms came to good success so suddenly by reason of fame to be gotten, or else for lack of victuals, because they would be gone, I am in doubt; but I am well assured that a halfpenny loaf was worth 12d., and yet there was none to be sold. And this fault is to be objected against my Lord Deputy, who would not suffer the the same army to bring their carts with their provision from Limerick to the bridge. And so I, amongst others, lay in my harness without any bed, almost famished with hunger, wet and cold, from Friday inclusive unto Tuesday exclusive, and then we returned to Limerick, where I remained at the mak[ing] of this letter."

My Lord of Ossory and my Lord Treasurer with their affinity and friends have done diligent service in this voyage, used very circumspect policy, and "saved us from blows." My Lord Treasurer recovered into our amity Donoth O'Bryne, son to Great O'Breen, whom my Lord Deputy had lost, because he broke promise with the same Donoth. "The band of my Lord of Ossory and my Lord Treasurer were well appointed with horsemen and gallowglasses, by interpretation footmen, all armed in mail, the certainty whereof shall appear" in a schedule enclosed; "whose band did far exceed in number the band of Englishmen, which was in number but 700,"-- a very small company for my Lord Deputy "to pass so great a journey, when he might have had many more out of the English Irishry, unless peradventure he had given them leave to dance at home, and he himself played upon the harp."

My Lord Deputy, upon surety of my Lord of Ossory and my Lord Treasurer, directed his letters to the ward of the forenamed castle of Carek Ogunyell to deliver it to Donoth O'Breene, son-in-law to my Lord of Ossory, until the King's pleasure were known, according to promises long before made by my Lord Deputy to the same Donoth; but the same castle by crafty policy, and by reason of a former letter written by my Lord Deputy, was delivered by the ward put in by him to Matthew O'Breene, who had it before, and will not, without a new siege, deliver it to my Lord Deputy or any other. Lord Ossory, the Lord Treasurer, and Donoth O'Breene, who is a good stay, "think themselves not only to sustain a great mock, but also to bear a great shame, to the minishing and hindrance of their credence, so slenderly to be esteemed in this behalf;" yet they cease not to do good service to the King, trusting, as heretofore, to your Lordship's favour, and that you will report their service to the King. "It smelleth not very sweet, when my Lord Deputy suffereth George Woodwarde, his own servant, and other whose names shall appear in a schedule inclosed in this letter, who were put in by my Lord Deputy to ward the said castle, to go abroad unpunished for the giving up of the same castle to the said Matthew O'Breene." It were better for the King to lose a great sum of money than to be without it, for the ease and wealth of that country, when the same shall be inhabited.

"If Ireland were well inhabited and in good order, the fertility and commodity of the ground is such that within short space, after my poor opinion, would be to the King's high profit." "As for the praise of (sic), as far as I have seen it, that is to say, the counties of Dublin, Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Ormond, Ossory, Desmond, Limerick, and Thomond, if there be any paradise in this world, it may be accompted for one among them, both for beauty and goodness. The town and castle of Kilkenny is well walled and well replenished of people and wealthy. The city of Limerick is a wondrous proper city, and a strong, and standeth environed with the river of Shenon, and it may be called Little London for the situation and the plenty, but the castle hath of need reparation.

"And as touching some honest aid at this time to be levied amongst the King's loving subjects, I do perceive little diligence in my Lord Deputy, in the Master of the Rolls and the Chief Justice in this matter, who take upon them to be ringleaders, and do not or will not perceive and seriously understand the King's pleasure by me declared, albeit I have put the same in writing to them at their request, to the intent they should be the more ripe therein. Thus I write, because [they] delay me from day to day, and will point me no nearer day to consult on this matter than the 14th day of September or thereabout, alleging to me for their feigned excuse, as they have done oftentimes before, that my Lord of Ossory and my Lord Treasurer would hinder and let as much as they could the King's profit, in such wise that it should take little effect or none; but I know the contrary in seeing the demeanour of my Lord Treasurer, to whom I have opened this matter, to the intent to boulte out the juggling, specially of the Master of the Rolls, who never, after my judgment, speaketh as he thinketh, nor thinketh as he speaketh; and there is no man, as far as I can perceive, that is so willing as my Lord Treasurer in this matter to take effect for the King." Am preparing to return to Dublin to survey the accounts, accordingly as Master Treasurer and I have appointed. At my return into England I shall declare more to you.

Limerick, 9th August. Signed.

Copy. Addressed: Lord Privy Seal, &c.

II. "A remembrance of my Lord Deputy his band, and of such Irishmen as repaired to his Lordship."

The Lord Deputy brought of English horse and foot scant 700. O'More, horse and foot, 137. Lord Roche, horse, 12. MakMurg, O'Karell, Cayre O'Konour, White Knight, Olyke A Burgh, the Sheriff of Iryell, gentlemen of Washefourd, and gentlemen of Kyldare, horse and foot, 174. Total, 1,023.

III. "A remembrance of my Lord of Ossory and my Lord Treasurer his band, and of their friends."

Lord Ossory, Lord James [Butler], Treasurer, Doneth O'Breene, Myghell Phathryke, Sir Thomas Botler, Gerald MkShane, my Lady Power, and my Lord Cassell, brought 361 horse and 920 foot.

IV. "A remembrance of those names that was put into the castle of Carek Ogonyell by my Lord Deputy, to ward the same, who delivered up the same again."

George Woodward, David Flode, Harry Sower, Thomas Sawch, Robert Browne, William Gryce, John Tomkins, John Olderch, Robert Parker, Robert Davy, Yvan Osbynow, Harry Gre, Edward Taylour, John Cottingham, Harry Sotton, John Sotton, Philip of Powell.

Copy.

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 86.