Catalogue description ANTHONY COLLY to CROMWELL.

At the coming last over of the Lord Leonard Grey into this poor country of Ireland, he mustered the soldiers, both horsemen and footmen, which were under the retinue of Sir William Skeffyngton, then being Deputy, with strait and crue fashion, even accordingly as the Earl of Kildare did at our coming last out of Ireland, which was thought by all the Council of England afterward to be ungently handled. These musters was not better, but much worse, for the said Lord Leonard had unfitting words to the King's Deputy, much worse than ever the Earl of Kildare had, beside threttyng of his captains with imprisonment; as also to Leonard Skeffyngton said, after the musters, he would strike him with his dagger, with such a raging fashion that men must needs suffer him to say and do what he would; which demeanor went never from the Lord Deputy's heart during his life, and greatly I think it shortened the same.

Also at the same musters he checked men for default of good horses, which had horses right good and able to do service under any man, notwithstanding they were the more worse for that their masters at the same time lacked money, and were unpaid at the King's hand for seven months, which he would not consider in the said musters. The Master of the Rolls, being assigned commissioner of the musters, did not apparently misbehave himself, but the Lord Leonard showed me afterwards, that he did, the Master of the Rolls, before his coming thither, laboured him to do the same; and if Mr. Brabason had not been good to us, we had in our wages been put to over much losses; but he suffered the said Lord Leonard to speak and do his pleasure in the musters. Notwithstanding, we were well and truly paid for so many months as we had payment for; and I trust he will report, and so will Sir William of Brewerton and Mr. John Assallysberry, that at the musters both men and horses were able to do as good service as any 100 soldiers in Ireland." If Lord Leonard use his commission as he has done, neither I, who am captain of the said 100, nor any other captain, shall be loved by our companies. He will not suffer the captains to put out of or take into wages a single soldier, but reserves this power to himself.

I trust the King will send a Deputy who is able to rule, lest any should "think themselves checkmate with the Deputy in authority." The King is not informed of some things, and misinformed respecting others. "I dare not speak of all: men as so politic nowadays, that which is written to your Mastership at London, many times they read the same in Ireland, greatly to the displeasure of the writers." The bearer, John Amore, [Or Anore.] can show you divers matters which require amendment, and especially concerning Dame Anne Skeffyngton, wife to the late Lord Deputy, who is not well handled in her causes, and "cannot be suffered to send her friend with her to come into England to solicit her causes to your Mastership." "He can show you of much ongenne (?) matter against her and her husband's retinue, who, without your favours, knoweth not how to do, but that good Mr. Brabasson is good to us." I desire you to give him thanks, and also to the Master of the Rolls and the Chief Justice. My Lady Skeffyngton has written to you "by a more stranger than this bearer is, for fear that her letters should have be stopped by them that ruleth here.

Dewllyng (Dublin), 13 Feb., 27 Hen. VIII.

Addressed: Mr. Th. Crumwell, Chief Secretary.

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 73.