Catalogue description EDMUND SEXTEN, late Mayor of Limerick. [Mayor of Limerick, 1535.]

Most honorable Lord." [Cromwell.]

It has been untruly alleged by Bartholomew Striche that your suppliant, Edmund Sexten, never spent any part of his goods in the King's service, but that all his service has been done at the charges of the city of Limerick. The Lord Deputy and Council have often written to the King of his services, which are here set forth.

The King sent Sexten and Justice Hothe into Ireland to the traitor Thomas FitzGerald. Perceiving the most detestable behaviour of the said traitor, Sexten repaired to the King to signify the same, paying 6l. 13s. 4d. for the freight of a ship, and leaving 55l. in Ireland, but has not yet been repaid. Also, within four days after he had repaired to Langley, the King and your Lordship then being there, he was sent again into Ireland, to Munster, with many letters to the lords there, and especially to Thomas, Earl of Desmond, and "brought answer upon the same" to the King. He was immediately sent back again to Munster with letters to the said lords there, and brought answer to the King. He was again sent back with letters to many lords there "to stay and keep the King's subjects of Munster in due subjection in the rebellion time." He also divers times accompanied the Lord Deputy in his journeys to O'Brien and other lords in Munster; and frequently went, at the Lord Deputy's command, to Sir John of Desmond and to his son James of Desmond. He was at the taking of Knok Grafton, co. Tipperary, and at the taking of the castle of Dungarvan.

When the said Thomas FitzGerald was in O'Brien's country, Sexten sent for Donogh O'Brien, O'Brien's eldest son, with intent to take FitzGerald, and Donogh came to Sexten's house at Limerick. He sent for John Arthur, then Mayor of Limerick, to commune with the said Donogh. Arthur and Sexten offered Donogh 1,000 ducats to take FitzGerald, and Donogh agreed, on condition that Sexten should lend him 40l. to pay his gallowglas' wages. Sexten lent him that sum in money and wares, and was at further expense for him and his men, who lay several times at Sexten's house.

All the above services were rendered by Sexten without recompence from the city of Limerick, before he was chosen Mayor thereof.

II. Sexten's services during the time of his Mayoralty of Limerick.

Soon after he was chosen Mayor, he came into this realm with letters from divers lords and gentlemen of those parts to the King and your Lordship, touching the state of the country there. For its reformation your Lordship commanded him to make a book, which was done. This journey continued from Christmas till a fortnight after Midsummer next following, at his own costs. At his coming home into Ireland, he repaired to the Lord Deputy, then in Kilkenny, who sent Justice Aylemore and him to James of Desmond, O'Brien, and other lords and gentlemen. He was at the taking of the castle called Carrik Ogennell, the first time it was taken; at the taking and breaking of O'Brien's bridge, with much danger of his life both by water and land; and at the second taking of the said castle. Being informed that the Bishop of Kylalowgh and two of his sons were at a certain place, Sexten issued out of the said city about midnight to take them, but they, having some knowledge thereof, fled and escaped; so he took their horses and returned home again. Having knowledge that Donell O'Brien's galley was within two miles of Limerick, he went out of the city in the night and took her. He burned a town called Kilqwane, and a village called Clonmowlayne in O'Brien's country. Two of his servants slew one Slogoo, a rebel, who had oftentimes robbed the King's subjects, and threatened to burn Limerick. He caused Edmund Bourke and his sons to restore to the city of Limerick 16l. sterling, in recompense of goods taken by them.

III. Sexten's services since his Mayoralty.

With a small company of men he went out to an island called Ellaneregan to take a castle there, and "was foughten withal with a great number of men," divers of whom were slain and many hurt. The town was burnt. He brought away part of the goods and his own men safe. He caused one Mawhan Bakka's son to be taken, who had captured one of the citizens of Limerick, and received from him 16l. sterling for his ransom. The said Mawhan Bakkagh's son, a great enemy to the King and his subjects of Limerick was by Sexten's means brought to Limerick, and there put into the King's gaol; but he was afterwards delivered by Bartholomew Striche, then being Mayor, without licence of the King's Deputy or any of the Council. Sexten also caused William FitzJames FitzGerald to restore a great prey which he had taken before of the citizens of Limerick. One of Sexten's servants brought back a prey of cattle which the King's enemies had taken the night before.

When the Lord Deputy came last to Limerick, going to O'Brien's bridge, about Lammas last, Sexten brought to him James FitzJohn of Desmond, who met the Lord Deputy 10 miles before he came to Limerick, and lay in his camp all that night; and on the morrow after the Lord Deputy came to Limerick, Sexten and Stephen Ap Harry were sent to meet the said James and O'Bryne at a place appointed, 10 miles from Limerick, where, by persuasion of the said James and Sexten, O'Brien "was contented to serve the Lord Deputy." Next day Sexten was sent to bring the said James to meet with the Lord Deputy at O'Brien's bridge, where the said James met with him with a great company of men, and O'Brien likewise, who continued with the Lord Deputy all that journey, until the Lord Deputy "came unto the borders of Gallwey." All that journey Sexten and his company were with the Lord Deputy, at his own costs.

Also, when one Teg Mak Donowgh, an Irish enemy, broke a weir of the King's besides Limerick, called "the Elewere," Sexten sent his servant William Bourke, to go upon the said Teg Mak Donowgh; and Bourke took seven score kine at one prey. Sexten also took a castle called Clonkeleass soon after the departure of my Lord Deputy from Limerick; which castle Morowgh O'Brien's servants, the King's enemies, had taken before from certain gentlemen in Bourke's country. He went forward "that night" to Castle Conell, where he took a great boat of ten oars with two other boats, and drew them out of the water, and lay there that night. On the morrow after he "drew them forth three miles upon the land, and after put them upon the water, and came home with them unto Limerick." The boats belonged to Morowgh O'Brien, who would rather have lost one of his best castles than the said boats, with which he used to rob and steal upon the King's subjects on the south side of the river of Limerick.

Endorsed.

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 135.