Catalogue description SHANE O'NEILL.

"The causes and matters moving my people not to suffer me to come to the Lord Deputy's presence with such expedition as his Lordship requireth, with that happened within this 20 years and in the memory of the same O'Nell, the harms done by the Governors and others here within this realm of Ireland."

"Conne O'Nell, father unto me the same O'Nell, comen by the procurement of Sir Anthony St. Leger, then went Lord Deputy into England," [Evidently a mistake for--"then Lord Deputy, went into England."] to King Henry VIII., and was created Earl of Tyrone; and for his good services he was imprisoned in Dublin by the Governor till he was inforced to deliver Tyrrilagh Lynnaghe, who had been taken prisoner by the said Earl for spoiling his country in Tyrone.

"Item. The said Earl, coming to Dundalk to the Deputy, with great comfort to the said Deputy, upon certain talk said unto the said Earl, were it that was not he was old, and such one as did no service in his years illspent, he would have off his head, and see his blood poured in a saucer or basin; and this unfriendly entertainment of the part of the said Earl not deserved.

"Item. The said Earl and his army attending upon the Lord Deputy banishing the Scots out of Ireland, and returning out of the same service to the said Earl at Ardemaghe, provided a banquet for the said Deputy, and leaving the said banquet unconsumed for haste, and at the said Ardemaghe did imprison the said O'Nell and took him prisoner to Dublin, and sent a garrison to Ardemaghe and to Dungannen, his chief manor; since which time the country was impoverished, but such portion thereof as by me was maintained.

"Item. For that the said Earl was so unjustly imprisoned as before is declared, doubting himself of the like, he, with the rest of all the Irish nation and the Scots rema[in]ing in Ireland, joined in love together, and I, understanding their conspiracy against my sovereign, I came to Sir Anthony Senleger, then Lord Deputy, and shewed their conspiracy, and offered my service to his Lordship against my father the Earl and the rest, and he thankfully accepted the same, and promised me for mine entertainment 20s. ster. per diem, and sundry good turns otherwise, whereof I received no great portion. And the said Earl my father, that knowing, spoiled me and my tenants and followers of the most portion of our goods to the value of 3,000 pounds and more. And if Sir Anthony Seintleger had continued Lord Deputy, I should have had satisfaction of that, by his Lordship's promise, and recompensed for the damages I sustained in that necessary service in so perilous time.

"Th' Earl of Sussex successed him, who refused me of protection and the payment of the said entertainment, and by means thereof and other his unfavorable doings towards me, the wars began betwixt him and me, and so continued till the Earl of Kildare came out of England [In 1561.] with my protection and pardon from the Queen's Matie and her Grace's Council, having likewise the protection of all others and nobility of this realm; by occasion thereof I went willing into England [In December 1561.] to see my Sovereign Lady the Queen, upon such security and protection, and security for myself, people, and goods.

"Item. The Earl of Sussex promised, upon my coming to the Earl of Kildare and the Earl of Ormond to the Karigebradagh, to amove the garrisons from Ardimaghe. I came to the said Earl according to my promise, and the said Sussex kept the garrisons contrary to his promise.

"Item. Contrary to the former protection and all the securities granted, I, accompanied with the said Earls of Kildare and Ormond, the said Earl of Sussex commanded the same Earls upon their duties to put a handlock upon my hand and carry me as a prisoner to time I came to the Queen's Matie.

"Item. Contrary to the former securities, after I came to England I was constrained before my return to make delivery of three the best pledges I had, and after my return to send from my country 16 other pledges; and the informer of her ["our" in MS.] Majesty's Council was not well advised so to incense their honors to have me in that mistrust that never deserved the same. Were it not I was so used in taking pledges, I would have served my Queen, my Sovereign Lady fair, and [Instead of these two words "fair, and," Carew has substituted "for I."] am and hath been always ready to serve her Grace if the same may be accepted to her.

"Item. After my return to Ireland, one devilishly disposed, rewarded to have murdered me with a dagger, appointed to have the chiefest horse that could be had, to th' intent, after he had done this ungodly feat, that his horse might carry him from my people without peril.

"Item. Seeing that practice could not take effect, devised a bottle of poisoned drink, [John Smith attempted to poison him in 1563.] by which I, with certain other of my gentlemen, was poisoned and in great peril, and by the great power of Almighty God, preserved, ["preserver" in MS.] the author of all wor[l]ds. This is sufficient for this time for my own causes."

II. "Here ensueth some other evil practices devised to other of the Irish nation that cometh to my remembrance within 9 or 10 years past."

"First, Donnell ["Onill" in MS.] O'Breyne and his brethren and his friends, and Morghe O'Breyne, his son, came from their army to Limerick, to the Lord Deputy, upon the protection of th' Earls ["theireley" in MS.] and nobility then in company of the said Deputy there; and for the controversy betwixt them and th' Earl of Thomonde they required the benefit of her Majesty's laws, by which they required to be tried, and thereof was denied; and likewise, contrary to the said protection, they were kept from their army, and sent to th' Earl of Desmond's country. They were proclaimed traitors, their lands and possessions taken from them.

"Teige McMorghe O'Breine came unto the said Lord Deputy upon the like protection, and was imprisoned to time for to challenge he was enforced a manor called Droghed Iwreine, a parcel of his inheritance, and the same manor is now in the possession of th' Earl of Ormond.

"Item. The said Teige, upon the protection of Mr. Marshal, came unto Limerick. He brought him to the Constable of Dublin, and there was imprisoned two years and a half, till he brake prison.

"Item. Art Boye Cavanaghe, coming to Captain Hearne, being sent for by the said Captain, and after dinner with the Captain at the Hall within Captain Hear[n]e his house, there was traitorously murdered.

"Item. Conill O'More, chief of that name, the Viscount of Mongarrett and father-in-law to the said O'Nill, did convite him to his house, and persuaded the said O'Nill to send him to Captain Hearne, and without farther trial the said Captain sent two of his servants with the said O'Nill, by whose commandment the same O'Nill ["Onill" in MS. Qy. mistake for Conill?] was hanged and put to execution.

"Item. Donoghe O'Conour coming upon the Earl of Kildare by [Qy. mistake for his?] protection unto the presence of the Lord Deputy, and William Cantwell likewise was sent by the said Deputy and his ring for the said Donoghe to come to his presence; the same Donoghe came with the said Earl [of] Kildare unto the Lord Deputy; one Digbey shot at the said Donoghe with a dagge[r] through the sleeve of his shirt, and escaped that vile enterprise of murder; yet the same Digbey escaped without punishment; and contrary to that protection the said Donoghe was taken prisoner, and so continued to time he delivered the best pledges he had; all which pledges were afterwards put to death at the Dingan.

"Item. Randall Boyes' two sons, good servitors to the Prince there, being sent for by Mr. Brereton to his house; and after supper the gentleman sleeping in the chamber where he was appointed to lie, was murdered by the same Brereton.

"Item. The other brother the same night by the same Brereton in the next town was murdered; and Brereton escaped without punishment.

"Item. To declare to my Lord Deputy how my sons Harry and his godson are misused, and that I may understand how he is.

"Item. To understand of the prey made upon MacMahande.

"Item. To take order for the punishon of the rimour[s] that did misuse me; whereof I wrote to my Lord Deputy."

Signed: O'NELL. [In Irish characters.]

"And all be it I stand most assured of your Honour's lawful and assured friendship, being most assured of your Lordship's good affection, and the most number of that honourable Council, yet my people are timorous and mistrustful of the former proceeding."

"The other instruction (?) I have to move your L. I have sent the same by Mr. Stwkeley and the Justice Dowdall, praying your Honour to give credit to that they shall declare in my behalf."

From Benborbe, 18th February.

Signed: Your Lordship's loving gossip to command, O'NELL. [In Irish characters.]

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 248.