Catalogue description EARL OF SUSSEX.

"A journey made by the Earl of Sussex, Lord Deputy, [Mistake for Lord Lieutenant.] in the year 1563."

On 5th April my Lord Deputy camped beyond the pass, which pass was cut by the Earl of Kildare, the Earl of Houth, and the men of Dublin. The 6th, 3 miles from Ardhemaha. The 7th he put in the cess of grain into Ardhemaha. The 8th he removed to the Newry. The 9th he received the grain and other furniture, "and licensed there some of garrons to depart into the English pale; the Earl of Kildare also to keep borders." "Fray betwixt Callo O'Conner's men and Kittyn's kerne, against one McDonnell, galloglass, the Baron's son, and Henry O'Nell's men;" one Kelly was slain, and McDonnell Gallo and others wounded, and sent to Karlingford and Dundalke. My Lord took up the matter, and made them friends in his tent. McRushe was sent by sea to James McConnell.

The 10th he camped by a little wood and a wall. The 11th to Ardhemah. In the way our kernes spoke with a horseman and kerne of the country. This night there was a great tempest of wind and rain. The 12th, one Smith [John Smith, who made an attempt to poison Shane O'Neil.] was sent to Shane O'Nelle.

The 13th a small ambush of Shane's was laid in the wood by Ardhemahe and descried by Mr. Lieutenant's band, who had "the conduct for the cutting of wood that day." He slew and drowned from 15 to 21 "Scots galloglas," and took one prisoner. My Lord Lieutenant issued forth with Mr. Marshal and Mr. Agard, and followed the chase, "being broken 3 or 4 miles to a lough, and certain hargobushe, lying in ambush, shot off 5 or 6 courses, and after fled to the bog, wounded Mr. Agard's standard bearer, called Tuchett, and another." Shane's horsemen showed themselves in divers places with their kernes, and we returned to our camp. After dinner his Lordship rode forth, and returned that night.

The 14th two friars came from Knockfargus, and were sent back on the 15th; and that night Smith and Shane's messengers came back, and Shane promised to parle with my Lord. Smith and my Lord's messengers were sent back again to Shane, and returned the 15th, and Richard McGuillin in his company. "That night my Lord thought to have gone to make a prey, the which was stayed." The 16th at night we left Ardhemaha, and by day we entered into Henry McShane's country, beyond the Blackewater, by a broken castle called -----. [Blank in MS.] We took 200 kine and sheep, and returned.

The 17th there came to our camp at Ardhemaha Tyr[lough] Lynnaha's messenger, who reported that his master had taken a strong lough from Shane O'Neale by great force. The 18th we rested. The 19th his Lordship set all the soldiers and others to trench round about the church wall, and the 20th also. The 21st, early in the morning, we went into Clenne McHenry McShane's country, our footmen going one way with the Marshal, and my Lord Lieutenant and the horsemen another way.

The 22nd, at even, his Lordship wore his robes of St. George, the cloth of estate being set up. The 23rd he kept his feast in his tent royally. The 24th, after service, all marched to the work about the churchyard. The 25th he left the camp at the Newry and came himself to Dundalke. The 26th he repaired "to old pass," where the Council met with him, and that day all the galloglass, kerne, horsemen, and carriages repaired to the Newry, and so to Ardhemah; his Lordship's company tarrying in Dundalke from the 27th till the 30th.

"The 30th day of May my Lord Lieutenant impressed the Queen's galloglas, after th' experiment of their bonnaught for 7 days. The kernes being come that night, they mustered them, and thirty more, and they rested the 31th all the day." The whole camp received victuals for 4 whole days to make a journey against Shane to his fastness. We left Ardhemahe 1st June, 1563, and camped that night at Dungennan, from whence my Lord sent a letter to Tyrrilloh Leniaha to meet with us the next day. Before we left Ardhemah Brian McPhellim Bacaha came to us with about 30 horsemen and 100 footmen.

The 2nd of June we left Dungennan, and camped that night beyond the hill of Tolloh Oge, where Tyrrlloh Leniahe's messenger came to us, and was despatched from thence again with letters for his repair to us. As soon as we came to our camp, it being not fully settled, my Lord Lieutenant rode forth to peruse the ways to Shane's straights, and found him within two miles from our camp, with his whole power and his kyryat, in a very strong fastness. My Lord in all haste sent for the footmen, kerne, and galloglass to the pass mouth, leaving Mr. Agard and two or three bands of horsemen to guard our camp. Our horsemen and footmen gave the charge, and the enemies fled to the woods. One of Henry O'Neall's horsemen, called Cormucke O'Neale, was shot in the back. After skirmishing with them 3 or 4 hours, our men won the pass or wood, slew 3 or 4 of his yeomen and 1 or 2 chief horses, and expulsed them to their bogs, hanching and killing ----mares and garrans, which the kerne would have taken for spoil. Our English captain of footmen slain. My Lord Lieutenant stood at the pass mouth with his horsemen in battle array, till our footmen returned. That night he sent forth Mr. Lieutenant, Mr. Agarde, and their bands of horsemen to meet with Tyrryllaho Lyniaha, but they met him not. James O'Hagan and his son, our spies, fell in the midst of Shane's kyraht, and the old man our guide was taken, but his son escaped.

The 3rd, after Mr. Lieutenant's coming to our camp, we removed and passed through a long pass, two miles from the other pass, and came into a great plain by the Lough Naha. Mr. Marshal with a few light horsemen discovered about 80 of Shane's kine, which we took, and killed 4 or 5 of his men, and took two prisoners, who reported that the same morning Owen Roho with 60 footmen passed over our Lough of Naha to Shane. "We offering and skirmishing a battle hard at their fastness with them and they with us, our whole camp passed through the pass with our carriages, which pass immediately Shane did withset, thinking our return to be that way, and so prolixing our time until evening, we returned and came to our camp by Arte O'Quyne's father's lough, some three miles from Dungennan; my Lord and Mr. Marshal levying a few stragglers of hargobushe by the way at a little church." A few of their horsemen trailing after us were chased back.

The 4th of June we came to Ardmah, from whence the pledge of McMahon had fled during our absence. Thither came one Doulin McDonnoho, captain of Birne's kerne, and 80 kerne. "We rested that day, and brought wood for the bone for to serve the ward until our next return."

The 5th we "camped within 2 miles from the great pass wide thereof in a plain valley."

The 6th before day we removed, sending our rearward to guard the carriages to Dundalke. "His Lordship, Mr. Marshal, Mr. Lieutenant, with their horsemen, and Captain Dellves and Mr. Lieutenant's bands of footmen, and all our kerne and galloglas, brake a prey from a little church distant 6 or 7 miles from Dundalke, and there we [took] a prey of 3,000 kine and 1,500 or 1,600 stud mares of Shane's followers, which were mixed among McMahon's kyrriath in colour of his and of his protection." McMahon sent a messenger to my Lord "requiring to kill none of his people, and to send Mr. Marshal against him. My Lord answered that no English had nor should kill any of his people, and would not send Mr. Marshal against him; willing the said McMahon to come" to him, but he refused and came not; "we suffering to pass to his country above 30,000 kine, besides steeds; which done, his Lordship repaired to Dundalke."

The 7th my Lord divided the prey "by an order of a book drawn by his Lordship, and given to Marshal and Mr. Lieutenant." That night he repaired to Melliphont, leaving at Dundalke Captain Louran's band of horsemen and harness. The same night Henry O'Nell's town by Dondalke was preyed.

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 238.