Catalogue description The QUEEN to SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL, Lord Deputy, and the COUNCIL.

This record is held by Lambeth Palace Library

Details of
Title: The QUEEN to SIR WILLIAM RUSSELL, Lord Deputy, and the COUNCIL.
Description:

In your letters of the 9th of last month there is nothing to our contentation. You signify that, upon the return of the Commissioners sent to treat with Tyrone and O'Donnell, you do find "the traitorous intent of the traitors to continue in their rebellion and in their barbarous demands, though, as yourselves confess, they did in the beginning stand simply upon our mercy without condition, and made offers to give largely for the redemption of their faults; which if you had at the beginning accepted, and not passed over the time so many months in fond device by learned counsel to form their pardons, this that hath followed so contrary to their submission had not now happened."

 

You have sent Sir Robert Gardner, one of the Commissioners, to inform us particularly of all the proceedings with the said rebels, "yet you have at length in writing described the particular disorders almost in every part of the realm, an advertisement very uncomfortable from you, who hath had the authority otherwise to govern the realm, than, for lack of regard in times convenient, now to present unto us so broken an estate of so great a part of our realm, as to have all Ulster wholly, saving two or three places, and all Connaught, saving as few places, wholly possessed with rebels, and likewise some of the counties next our English Pale in like danger." You propose remedies which rest altogether upon great preparations of forces and treasure, without offering any reformation of the government there.

 

To obviate "the inconveniences likely to appear by the simple and gross treaty of the Commissioners with the rebels,' we have caused answers to be made to the presumptuous demands of the rebels, such as shall be fit for rebels to receive; "and otherwise also we have yielded to such answers as are meet for offenders to receive, acknowledging their offences and suing for pardon." Instructions, signed by our Council, are now sent thither, to be used by such commissioners as now you shall authorize to meet with the said rebels for a full answering of their demands. John Norris is to be commissioned with our secretary Fenton, to meet with the said rebels before the cessation [terminate], and "to proceed with them to some final end, either according to their submissions to yield them pardons, with such conditions as are contained in the said instructions, or if they shall refuse the reasonable offers therein contained, or seek former delays, to leave any further treaty with them."

 

As we conceive that the misgovernment there of late years has given cause and scope to these rebels to revolt thus generally in divers parts, "we have caused a collection to be made in writing of certain manifest errors and defaults there committed of late years in that government, whereof some are past all remedy, and some by better regard had may be in time coming amended."

 

Under the Signet, Richmond, 9 March 1595, 38 Eliz.

 

Copy.

Date: 9 March 1596
Related material:

MS 617, p. 243 Another copy.

Held by: Lambeth Palace Library, not available at The National Archives
Former reference in its original department: MS 612, p. 67
Language: English
Physical description: 2 Pages.
Unpublished finding aids:

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 233

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