Catalogue description The QUEEN to SIR JEFFREY FENTON, Secretary for Ireland.

When, on the return of Essex out of Ireland, we commanded you to confer with Tyrone in order to learn "in what sort he did crave our mercy," we promised to send over some person with authority to conclude. As the nobleman whom we intend to send to rule that kingdom cannot be ready so soon as we expected, we impart our pleasure to you.

"We do find by the manner of Essex his report that he (Tyrone) seemeth to have been much carried on to this course of submission in respect of the opinion he had of him, and the confidence he had by his mediation to procure all his desires; Tyrone professing, as it seemed by Essex his words, that such was his affection to himself for his father's sake, as he would not draw his sword against him, but he would do that for him which he would not do for any other. Herein we have thought good to require you to let him plainly understand that, although we do no more mislike that he should address himself to us by Essex than by any other that should hold his place (it being always proper for men in his degree to make their suits known by those to whom the Prince committeth the trust of her kingdom), yet we would have him consider and remember, that as he is our subject born, and raised to honour by us only, and not born to depend upon any second power (as long as he shall carry himself like a good subject), so if, after his offences known to the world so publicly, this submission [of] his shall not as well appear to the world by all clear circumstances to proceed simply out of his inward grief and sorrow for his offences against us, and from his earnest desire only to satisfy us his Sovereign, but that it must be bruited abroad, that for any other man's respect whosoever he takes the way, either sooner or later, to become a good subject, or that it shall be conceived that Tyrone would forbear to draw his sword against our Lieutenant rather than against us, we shall take ourself thereby much dishonoured, and neither could value anything that shall proceed from him on such conditions, nor dispose our mind to be so gracious to him hereafter as otherwise we might have been induced.

"And therefore we would have you assure him, first, if he be put in the head, that though we should vouchsafe to pardon him presently, yet there might be some courses of injustice or hard measure offered him hereafter by those to whom the rule of that kingdom should be committed, that he shall never see the day, whensoever we have vouchsafed to pronounce the word of mercy and pardon to any, have he been never so notorious an offender, that any subject living shall use him in other sort than for such a one as we shall have received him. And, therefore, if any such suspicion may be raised in his mind, let him distrust those that so tell him, to care more for their own particular ends than for his good.

"And further, because we have understood that, in respect of our restraint of Essex here, it may be surmised or devised there that we have so proceeded with Essex because we mislike that he hath come over to persuade us to a course of mercy, as though we had a heart so hardened from compassion of the miseries of that kingdom, that we should be dealt withal to relieve the same by any other course than by the shedding of our people's blood, we would have you let him know from ourself that our displeasure towards him hath no such relation, but hath grown by his breach of our commandment in bestowing our offices and honours contrary to his instructions, for issuing great sums of money contrary to our warrant, and for divers other things, besides his last presuming to come personally over out of that kingdom where we had absolutely commanded him to stay till we had sent him licence under our hand, and sent over some other nobleman to take his place; all which we could not suffer to pass unpunished, unless we would have given encouragement to others to have offended us with the like presumption.

"So as to conclude: although there be some points in his petition to Essex concerning others his confederates in rebellion which we can neither clearly understand nor can accept in the form he seeketh (except he explain himself the better), it seemeth by Essex' own speech that the short time of their conference made him not fully conceive the particular meaning of Tyrone in divers of those articles; yet forasmuch as we have heard that since his meeting with Essex he hath showed no ill affection towards us (to our knowledge), but hath observed the cessation for his part inviolable, whereby in the eye of the world there is some show that he hath a desire and purpose to please us, which he hath not performed heretofore upon like occasions, our pleasure is that you confer with him more particularly at this meeting, and drive him from his follies by letting him know what we have been and may be to him if he deserve it, and by making him see what it is to trust to foreign princes that despise him but to serve their turns, and whensoever they should help him, would esteem him but as a traitor, where by returning to his Prince he might escape misery, which must be his end, as the condemnation of ingratitude hath been [Sic.] for so notorious and unnatural offending her that made him what he is, and will at last make him feel her power, rather than to be still dishonoured. The remission of all which you may assure him by virtue hereof, if he shall give us just cause by such reasonable and dutiful offers to believe that he hath a remorse of his former errors, and a resolution to become and continue a good subject. Our purpose being, at his earnest and humble suit, notwithstanding so many his just provocations of our indignation, to receive him now at last into our grace and mercy, so to live and to be used by us as shall be for his greatest comfort, without any thought of taking other revenge towards him than Almighty God doth use after he hath forgiven the greatest sinners, upon their speedy and sincere craving of mercy."

Richmond, 5 November 1599.

Copy.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, ed. J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen (6 vols., 1867-73, vol. III, document 326.