PREFA- NOTE TO OF 1581. * Vol. I. P. 37. Ireland: Elizabeth, vol. lxvii. House). Privy That one friendship-and its consequences-would have suf ficed to hand down Ralegh's name, with Spenser's, had he explored no Guiana; led no fleet at Cadiz; written no History of the World; laid the foundation of no colonies in America. The rebellion began in the autumn of 1579;—at a time when Ralegh's mind was still strongly bent on plans of maritime discovery, notwithstanding the check which had just been given by the Lords of the Council to his purposed American voyage.* That interruption occurred in June. On the 19th of July, the Earl of Desmond wrote to the Lords Justices that he was "ready to venture his life in Her Majesty's quarrel." On the 9th of August, Edward Whyte wrote to Walsingham (from Limerick) that the Geraldines were in arms, and that the "fire was like to spread into every corner of the realm." It did not burn quite so fiercely as that. But it spread far; and the devastation it made was such as, happily, it is hard for the mind to realize now-a-days. Ralegh touches (in Letter III.) on one of the main difficulties which protracted its extinction. "Geraldines," he says, "will die a thousand deaths; enter into a million mischiefs; seek succour of all nations, rather than be subdued by a Butler." And the feud between Desmonds and Ormonds was but one feud of a hundred. But if they could not be put down, it was, at length, found possible to keep them, for a while, in check. It was not until the autumn of 1583 was far advanced that the Queen could congratulate herself on the deliverance of Munster from rebellion. The report which was then read to her at Oatlands had been drawn up by one of Ralegh's Council to comrades-Edward Barkley-in the 1581 campaign of Cork the Earl of described in Letter IV.; and it was the Earl of Ormond-in that letter so sharply censured-who had the satisfaction of receiving from the Privy Council in England the royal thanks. Ormond, — Ireland: Elizabeth, vol. civ. $ 88. I. TO THE LORD TREASURER BURGHLEY. From the Original. Irish Correspondence: Elizabeth, vol. lxxx. § 73 (Rolls House). In the hand of an amanuensis, except as to two words which are interlineated in autograph. Signed. MAYE IT PLEASE YOUR HONOR, Feb. 22. To Lord Cork. Detention at the Isle of Wight.Ireland.— Pay and Rations of Arrival in his Company. TO UNDERSTAND that uppon the receaving of my LETTER I. footeband of one hondrethe men, when I departed from 1580-1581. London towards this land, there was then delivered into my hands (besides one hundreth powndes in imprest which is defalked uppon my enterteynment heere,) so muche mony as amownted to six dayes wages for my self, my levetennent, officers, and soldiers, at accustomed rates, viz. iiija per diem for my self, ij" per diem for my levetennente, xiiij a peece for iiij officers, and viija a peece for every soldier; after th' expiracion of which six dayes (by order from Your Honor and the rest of my lords of Her Maiesties Pryvy Counsell,) wee entered into the Isle of Wighte where wee contynued xv dayes, and ther beinge imbarked in Her Maiesties shippes, there was xvii dayes more before wee arryved heere, duringe all which tyme of xxxij dayes, in the whole, wee receaved only vittells after the rate of via sterlinge per diem for eache one, so that duringe those xxxij dayes there growethe due to every of my company ijd sterlinge per diem as a remaynder of theire wages at viij" sterling per diem; and also to my selfe, my levetennente and officers, our whole enterteynment for the lyke tyme at Feb. 22. Service in Ireland. LETTER L the rates abovesaid. So yt is, my good and honorable 1580-1581. Lorde, that at the importunate suyte and exclamacion of my company I have bin enforced to paye and satisfye every of them of that remaynder, and seekinge to have the same to be allowed mee agayne heere, I am therfore referred to Your Honor's order and the residue of my Lords of Her Maiesties Pryvy Councell in England; being annswered by Her Highnes' offycers heere that wee are neyther to be entered into paye, nor no other manner of waye to be allowed heere, but from the daye of our arryvall in this land. In consideration whereof I am a moste humble sutor to Your Honor and the residue of my said Lords for allowance of that mony, as hathe bin heretofore, by Your Lordship's good meanes, in the like case allowed to Sir WILLIAM MORGAN, and that the same may be payd to the gentleman which shall deliver this letter to Your Honor, whom I have desired to attend Your Lordship for that purpose, and who shall present unto You as well a perfect accompte thereof, as also a suffycient certifycate or testemony of the tyme of our contynuaunce in the Wighte, and of the daye of our arryvall heere. I moste humblie desire Your honor to farther this my request as spedely as you conveniently maye, because I have appointed the mony to be imployed in England abowte the providinge of sutche wants as bothe my selfe and company doe greately stand in neede of. Thus I comyt Your Lordship to God; my poore selfe remayninge alwayes a Your Honor's service and comaundment. 22 of February, 1580 [legal style]. Corke, this Your Lordship's most humble to comaunde, Addressed: W. RAULEY. To the right honorable and my very good Lord, the Lord BURGHLEY, Lord Highe Thresourer of England. II. TO SECRETARY SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM. From the Original. Irish Correspondence: Elizabeth, vol. lxxx. § 74 (Rolls House). Holograph. I RECEVED of late a letter from Your Honor wherein I finde Your Honor's disposicion and oppinion more favorable then I can any way deserve. Notwithstandinge I hope Your Honor shall finde that my forwardnes to ad ance Her Maiesties service shall not be less accordinge to my smale strenght. Whereas of late a cumpany of yonge cumpanions linket together in rebellion who because they can no longer covertly assiste the proclaymed traytors do at lenght manifeste their good mindes to Her Hightnes and the Inglyshe nacion,-as DAVY BARREY, sonn and heir of Lorde BARREY, now in the castle of Develin; MORRICE ROCHE, eldest sonn to the Lorde ROCHE; FINNIN MACARTEY, PATRICK CONNDON, and divers others,-my Lorde Generall is now cum hither who, wee hope, ether by force or pollecy will sufficiently hampre them that ar farr of greater strenght then the Earle of DESMOND and JOHNE.1 In my returne from Develin I made a hard escape from the Seneshall in BARRE'S countre (wher he is allways. fostered) with xiiij horsmen and threescore footmen. I was three horsmen, and soun set on horsbake to Irishe footmen. I coveted to recover a litle old castle, and 1 Sir John Fitzgerald, usually called 'John of Desmond.' brother of Gerald, 16th Earl of Desmond. He was 3 two. 1580-1581. Feb. 23. State of the Province of Munster. LETTER II. in that resun I left three men and three horses. The manner of myne own behavior I leve to the report of others, but the escape was strange to all men. The castle was a longe mile of,1 from the place wher he first sett on us. Ther is great need of a supply in Munstre, for the bandes ar all miche decayed. The bands of TANNER and BARNISHE were so ordered in the cashiringe that no man was the better. For the officers had the furniture and the soldiers ran away. Beside, the men ar suche poore and misserable cretures as ther captaynes dare not lead them to serve. If Your Honors beheld them when they arive here, You would think them far unfitt to fight for Her Maiesties crown; and like Your Honor ther is no fitt place to lande them that ther captaynes may receve them furnished but Corke, from whence they may most conveniently be delivered over. Thus, besechinge You to continew Youre favorable oppinion of mee, I humblie take my leve, restinge allways most redy to do you all honor and service. From Corke, xxiij of February, 15812 [?] Your honor's most humble to cummande, W. RAULEY. Addressed: To the honorable Sir FRANCIS WALSINGHAM, Knighte, Principal Endorsed: "23 February, 1580. From Mr. Walter Rawley." off. The last figure in this date is scarcely legible. The endorsement, it will be observed, gives, according to the legal style, '1580.' |