The Lower Burkes, namely, Mac William Burke,
Theobald, the son Walter Ciotach, who was alliance with O’Donnell, and whom had
towns, and people, plunder and
the county Ceithearlach (Carlow),
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Theobald, the son Walter Ciotach, who was alliance with O’Donnell, and whom had
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the county Ceithearlach (Carlow),
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Four Masters - Annals of Ireland
On the 1st of March he came to sir Terence O’Dempsey's house at Cloney gowen, near Portarlington, thence to Ballybrittas, and sir Henry
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 683
many were wounded on each side, and O'Neill’s and on which they agreed was, to attack the Coma people were defeated; and Niall and his English cian camp very early on the following morning.
returned again to their homes at Lifford, with much booty and sway.
An unusual thing and an evident fatality befel that camp of the Burkes, viz. , an advantage being gain
On another occasion after that, Niall, with his
brethren and his English, went into Tyrone, and
they preyed the entire of Gleann Aichle. They de
feated in another engagement the sons of Ferdor completely hacked, throughout their tents and cha, the son of John, son of Donal (O’Neill), at booths. On that occasion O’Shaughnessey, i. e.
Cnoc-Buidbh, near Strabane, and they slew some John, the son of Giolla Duv, son of Dermod, son
people; Torlogh Oge O'Quinn, with some others,
were taken prisoners, and three score marks were exacted for his ransom.
Baile-Nua (Newtownstewart), in Tyrone, and
Castlederg, were taken by Niall and the English,
but it was taken from them again in a short time after. -
of William, who had been expelled from his patri
mony, like the other insurgents who were along
with the sons John Burke, was slain; John
Oge, the son John Burke, was taken prisoner there, and was brought Kilkenny, impri
soned. Redmond Burke and William, together with number their party, having escaped from that conflict, went from thence into Ely, but did
ed of their watching, so that their enemies came amongst them, who left them stretched lifeless, with their flesh lacerated, and their gory bodies
Rory, the son of Eignechan, son of Eignechan,
son of Nechtan, son of Torlogh of the Wine not remain long that territory when they pro
O’Donnell, died.
A. D. 1601.
The sons of Shane-ma-Seamar, the son of Rick
ceeded into Ulster, leaving the towns Ormond,
which were alliance with them ’till then, feebly defended. When they had arrived amongst the Irish the North, namely, O’Neill and O'Don nell, Redmond Burke began employ some com
ard Saxanach (Burke), of whom we have already
treated, were encamped in the estate of O’Meagher mon soldiers march into Clanrickard, and in Ikerrin (in Tipperary), on the first days of the having engaged those, proceeded the first
month of January. Spies and reconnoiterers days spring across the river Erne (at Ballyshan came about them in that place, from the Butlers, non), along the borders Brefney O’Rourke
after it had been reported by some of their gentle men that an opportunity and an advantage could
be obtained to attack them at that place where
they were ; so that it was on that account sir Wal
ter, the son of John, son of James Butler, and
Mac Pierce, namely, James, the son of Edmond, son William, son Thomas. Redmond, after son of James, with a number of the gentlemen of that, arrived Tuath-an-Chaladh (the district the two counties, viz. , of the county of Tipperary
and of the county of Kilkenny, came to meet and join each other on a certain night, at a particular place appointed and agreed upon by them; the
resolution to which they came in their consultation,
the port ferry, west the river Suck, the Shannon), the south Hy-Maine, the coun
Warren's house Leix. There he received directions from the
council England decry the silver money and proclaim new March, Mountjoy proceeded Trim, Ardbraccan, and other
ounces silver, and brass this base coinage, Brass Money, Ireland this time, which ruined thou
all the queen's servants, who came home beggars,
parts Meath, and thence into Monaghan, and plundered Farney, and other parts Mac Mahon's country, burned the houses, corn, and goods the people, and thence came Ardee, and sir Edward Moore's house Mellifont, and Drogheda, where remained till the 16th April, and then returned Dublin, having,
the course this marauding expedition, plundered, burned and
laid waste the countries through which passed, and massacred the inhabitants with unrelenting fury and inhumanity.
coin ounces fine (that the 1b). Great quantities was sent for circulation sands, and impoverished
prices sent over undoing
classes, and excessively raised the Morrison says, “this base money was impoverish the rebels, but, conclusion, was the
all commodities.
that only the treasurers and paymasters, who were thereby infl nitely enriched, had cause bless the authors of this invention. ”
(county Leitrim), into the county Sligo, the county Roscommon, across the river Suck, into Clan Conmaigh (in Galway); took prison
the lord that country, namely, Mac David (Burke), Fiacha, the son Hoberd Buighe,
Galway. When the earl Clanrickard, namely, Ulick Burke, received intelligence that affair, proceeded the eastern border his
(See Note on Brass Money, page 426). the course the month
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684 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
country, to wait for and watch Redmond, but, not withstanding all his watching, Redmond, on the
thirteenth night of the month of March, unper
ceived or unheard by the earl or his sentinels,
went past them into Clanrickard, until he arrived
at Tuath-Chenel-Fheighin (district of Kinel-Fei
chin), in the southern part of the barony of Lei
trim, in the county of Galway. Redmond sent
forth his predatory parties, early in the morning of
that night, to the towns the district, from
Magh-Glas Crannog-Mac-Cmaimhin the
Cranoge, fortress MacNevin), and from Coill O’Brien confirmed their war alliance with each Breac the mountain (Slievebaughta Moun other, Teige requested, three days after that, tain, the barony Leitrim, the borders furnished with party for the purpose Clare). The most the wealth the district, scouring some quarter Thomond; was not
and moveable property, were under the con troul Redmond, before the noon that day;
afterwards proceeded take up his quarters the woods the upper part the district, and
continued four five days that campaign, drawing supplies from the neighbours, and forti fying about him, until the earl Clanrickard,
with the greatest force could procure the inhabitants the country, came and encamped the monastery Kinel-Feichin. They remained four five days those positions, during which dishonourable slayings were committed between
refused that request, for number the gentlemen the camp, accompanied him with their kerns;
those were William, the son John Burke, and
Redmond and his predatory parties arrived the
Thomond (county Clare), they en
borders
camped
Cooter,
where young gentleman the Dalcassians, name
the western side Loch-Cutra (Lough the barony Kiltartan, Galway),
Teige, the son Torlogh, son Donal, son
Conor O’Brien, came him, the advice and
request some foolish people, without asking the permission leave his father, the earl
Clanrickard, whom was related and friend ship. When the sons John Burke and Teige
Bryan-na-Murtha, Owen O’Rourke,
forces overtook the earl, departed from the camp which was, and proceeded through the passes into Clanrickard, and they pursued him
the town Loughrea; the earl and his people escaped from them that occasion, they overran
and devastated all that lay from Leitrim Ard Maoldubhain and the gate Feadan, the west
quin), and the upper part Clan-Cuilein (baro nies Tullagh and Bunratty); some them
went Baile-ui-Aille (in the parish Temple mally), and near Clonroad, (at Ennis); they re
turned back with their booty that night Cill Reachtais, Upper Clan Cuilein the parish Kilraghtis, the barony Bunratty); their leaving that town the following morning, they were overtaken by the gentlemen the two Clan Cuileins, with their risings out, and also by the companies the earl Thomond; that pursuing party Thomond began shoot these insurgents, and slew many their people, from that place
them, until Teige, the son son Bryan Ballach, son
with fierce companies
came aid Redmond. When those two combin
well-armed soldiers,
Kinel-Aodha (in the barony Kiltartan).
was that time lord country the Momo Meelick O’Grady (in the barony Bunratty),
the eastern part Kinel Dungaile; the pursu ers, however, returned, and the other party carried
with those sons John Burke, and fell after that Torlogh O'Brien, was wounded the shot manner the war of the Clan William. When ball, that was obliged, after arriving the
nians was slain their side, namely, Mac Do nogh (of Duhallow, Cork), Donogh, the
son Cormac Oge, son Cormac, and the man
ner which went that expedition was this, ber their gentlemen, and common soldiers; that O’Neill, having brought him captive from those was that son of Mac William we have men Munster, the spring the foregoing year, tioned, namely, Walter, the son William Burke; remained Ulster from that time ’till he marched the same day, moreover, Teige, the son
the son
the son
Mac William Burke, namely, Walter,
William, son David, son Edmond, Ulick; after they left the camp, they pro
son
ceeded the border Kinel-Aodha, and Echtge, and Kinel-Dungaile (in the barony Tullagh, Clare), they sent forth their predatory parties both sides the river Fergus, through the lower part Hy-Fearmaic (barony Inchi
off the prey the camp, after having lost num
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Burke, they
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the queen, and
sent him
Red behalf therefore went them; the
pointed his successor, and was record the year
which the earl died the following was composed: “Since Christ had entered the human flesh
To intercede for every future age, Sixteen hundred years and one elapsed Unto the death of the earl Ulick. ”
baron sent an escort with him Leitrim, one the earl's towns, but did not long survive there, for he died soon after, and was buried the town
Loughrea, and the town Athenry suc cession, one week; the young scion who then
died was lamentable loss his country, for was expert every military weapon, and every
battle engine which were used amongst the Irish, feats valour, and was distinguished for gaiety, mirth, activity, feats arms, mildness,
comeliness, fame, and hospitality. As those camps the district Kinel-Feichin, they were closely confronted every day, guarding against each other, from the festival St. Patrick the end the month April, until the provisions and flesh
John, Conor Cuireach (the Heroic),
REIGN OF ELIZABETH.
685
camp, to confine himself to a sick couch, and to meat supplies, the sons
go under the hands of doctors, despite of his in reduced and exhausted, and
corrigible disposition and rash temper. Large prepared quit the place; and, after having left bodies of the queen’s people came from various the country, they took prey from O'Madden, quarters to aid the earl of Clanrickard, and of these namely, Donal, the son John, son Breasal; they were eight or nine colours of soldiers, from the proceeded from thence across the river Suck, and the president of the two provinces of Munster; thi sons the earl having pursued them during that ther came the son of the earl himself, who had
been for some time previous to that along with the
lord justice, with a large force of foreign soldiers;
thither came the deputy governor of the province nell, and the sons the earl returned their of Connaught, and also an auxiliary force from country and homes, and their arrival their
Galway. When the sons of John Burke received estate, the condition which they found their fa intelligence of the assembling of those, they re ther, the earl, namely, Ulick, the son Rickard, moved back eastward along the mountain, into the son Ulick the Heads, was his last moments, fastnesses of the district of Kinel Feichin, and re after making his will, taking leave his nearest mained in the temporary huts in which they had friends, and after settling his worldly affairs; previously been ; they were not, however, long died the month May, the town Loughrea, there, when the sons of the earl, namely, the ba and was buried the town Athenry, with great ron of Dunkellin and sir Thomas Burke, together solemnity. The person who then died was one with every one of his sons who was able to serve the most lamented amongst the Irish his as commanders in the army, came, with numerous time; was lord deliberate, just judgments, forces along with them, into the district, in pursuit mild countenance, becoming chief, all of them, and formed a large extensive camp in the those who addressed him; kind the people his centre of the district. The earl of Clanrickard country, warlike his neighbouring people, equi
space, many people were slain between them both sides, on that occasion. The sons John
Burke proceeded after that Tirconnell O’Don
O’Dogherty,
son Felim, son
died the 27th
rony Inisowen, and there was not lord ba rony amongst the Irish more distinguished for ma nual action and hospitality, more bold counsel than he. O’Donnell nominated Felim Oge, John's brother, the O’Dogherty; the clan Ailin, and the clan Daibed, brought Cahir, the son John Oge, the English Derry, and the general, sir Henry Docwra, nominated him O’Dogherty, through animosity for O'Donnell.
John Burke, became that account they
himself was not in that camp, for he was attacked by a sickness, and dangerous severe disease, the week before that, that he was not able
march with army that time. When the de puty governor the province Connaught, and
the baron Dunkellin, learned that Teige O’Bri
table council, man whose energy, were not witnessed
weakness, want
the point dan military command
ger, since the time assumed
the day his death; his son Rickard was ap
John Oge, the son
January; was lord the ba
Redmond O'Gallagher, bishop Derry, was
killed by the English O’Kane's country, the 15th of March.
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686 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
James, the son of Sorley Buighe, son of Alex defended the rugged and intricate tract of land ander, son of John Cathanach, the most distin which he retained until he died, and he was buried
guished leader of the Clan Donnell in his time, either in peace or war, died on Easter Monday.
Mac I-Brien of Ara (in Tipperary), namely Tor logh, the son of Murtogh, son of Donal, son of
at his own fortress in Baile-an-Chaislein (Castle townara, in the barony of Owney and Arra, county of Tipperary).
O’Reilly, i. e. Edmond, the son of Maolmora, son of John, son of Cathal, died in the month of April; he was an aged, grey-haired man, of strong memory of remote times, and active and energetic,
Teige, died in the month of February; there was
not a lord of a country in Ireland of his age the
night he died, a more active and valiant man, who
would lead his force more safe out of every coun both in mind and body, till his death ; he was try into which he had made incursions; and seldom buried at Cavan, in the monastery of St. Francis, any force escaped from him in the same strength and his brother's son, namely, Owen, the son of they entered his country; he was a person who Hugh Connallach, was appointed his successor. "
A. D. 1601.
1. The last Chiefs of the O'Reillys. -The MS. work called the
Book of Cavan, which is in the possession of Mr. Geraghty, the publisher of these Annals, and was chiefly compiled from ancient
documents by the late learned Chevalier Thomas O'Gorman, gives a history of the O'Reillys, from which some of the following par
ticulars have been collected. This Edmond O'Reilly, above-men tioned, was known as Edmond of Kilmacrott; he had a castle at that place, in the county of Cavan, where Morton's magnificent mansion now stands. Edmond was brother of Hugh Conallach O'Reilly, the celebrated prince of Brefney, whose death, in the
year 1583, is recorded at p. 538, in these Annals; he was sur named Conallagh, or the Connallian, from being fostered and
brought up in Tirconnell, under the care of his maternal grandfa ther, Hugh Duv O’Donnell, prince of that country. This Hugh
O'Reilly was three times married: first to the daughter of Betagh of Moynalty, in Meath; secondly, to a daughter of sir Thomas Nu
gent, of Carlanstown, in Westmeath ; lastly, to lady Isabella Barn wall, of Meath ; by his first wife he left three sons, Shane Roe, or Red John, Philip, and Eogan; by his second a son, Maolmora, or
though he and some of his successors were styled lords of Cavan, they had but little of the power or possessions of their ancestors. During the time of Miles, from 1610 to 1620, the plantation of
Ulster with British colonies took place, and the county of Cavan being confiscated by James I. , was seized by the crown, and al most the whole of its lands, the ancient territory of the O’Reillys for many ages, was transferred to English and Scotch settlers, called Undertakers, of which transactions accounts are given in Pynnar's Survey, in Harris's Hibernica, and in the Tracts of sir John Davis. Some chiefs of the O'Reillys got regrants from the Crown of portions of their own ancient possessions,amongst others Miles O’Reilly, the last lord of Brefney, who was obliged to give up the ancient seat at Tullymongan, in Cavan, that town and cas tle coming into the possession of the corporation established there by king James in 1610. Miles built a castle at Camett, now called Castle Cosby, near Crossdoney, where he retired and died in 1635. Colonel Philip O'Reilly, of Ballinacargy castle, in the county of Cavan, was next recognised as The O'Reilly; he was the son of Hugh, son of sir John O'Reilly above-mentioned, and when a young man had served some time in the Spanish army; shortly after his return to Ireland he became one of the chief leaders in the great Insurrection of 1641, and was a distinguished commander for many years in co-operation with Owen Roe O'Neill, his brother in-law, being married to his sister, Rose O'Neill. After the Cromwellian war, O'Reilly retired with his forces to Spain, in 1652, and entered the Spanish service in the Netherlands, where he died about the year 1655, and was buried in the Irish monas tery at Louvain. His relative, colonel Miles O’Reilly, of Camett, was high sheriff of the county of Cavan in the year 1641, and was a commander of note at that period ; he also retired to Spain along with Philip, and afterwards went to France, where he died about the year 1660, and was buried in the Irish monastery at Chalons-sur-Marne. Hugh Roe, the son of colonel Philip O’Reilly, was a valiant commander, and was killed in a battle with the Cromwellians in the county of Cavan, in 1651; he was married to a daughter of Conor O’Brien, viscount of Clare, by whom he had a son named Hugh, who was drowned at sea on going to Spain.
Miles, but no children by his third wife. On the death of Hugh,
his brother, Edmond, the Tanist, or heir apparent, was to succeed
as prince of Brefney, but was opposed by his fiephew, Shane Roe,
whose claim was supported by the English, and both these chiefs,
while in contention for the lordship, attended sir John Perrott's
parliament in Dublin in 1585, as representatives for the county of
Cavan, as mentioned in these Annals. Shane Roe made his sub
mission to the English, went to London, was well received at
Court, and knighted by queen Elizabeth. Sir John O'Reilly
agreed to hold his extensive estates in the county of Cavan under
the crown, and to give up the ancient tenures and customs of Ta
nistry, but sir John afterwards joined Hugh O'Neill, earl of Ty
rone, against the English, and died at Cavan on the 1st of June,
1596. On the death of sir John, his brother Philip was appointed
prince of Brefney, by Hugh O'Neill, earl of Tyrone, but Philip
held the lordship but a short time, for he was accidentally killed
by some of O'Neill's people on the 19th of November in the same
year. At this time Maolmora Breagh, or Miles the Handsome, His cousin Edmond, called Eamun Buighe, succeeded as The
the son of sir John O'Reilly, a young man of fine person, great va lour, and ambition, who was married to a niece of Thomas Butler, earl of Ormond, aspiring to the lordship of Brefney, joined the English, and having repaired to London, was well received by queen Elizabeth, who gave him a grant of the county of Cavan by
Letters Patent, with the promise of an earldom ; he commanded a regiment of cavalry in the English service, and was called The
Queen's O'Reilly; he was slain in 1598, at the great battle of the Yellow Ford, in Armagh, of which an account is given at p. 627 in
the Annals. Edmond O'Reilly, above mentioned, succeeded his ne phew Philip as prince of Brefney, in 1596, and died in his castle
of Tullymongan, at Cavan, in 1601 ; he was succeeded by his ne phew, Eogan or Owen, one of the sons of Hugh Conallach, and
Owen having died in 1603, was succeeded by his brother Maolmora. This Maolinora, or Miles, was the last prince of Brefney, and
O'Reilly ; he was some time in the French service, and came to Ireland with king James II. in 1689, and he was appointed go vernor of the county of Cavan, and commanded as a colonel in the army of king James, at the battles of Cavan, the Boyne, Aughrim, Limerick, &c. He retired with the Irish Brigades to France, where he died in 1693; he was married to the daughter of O'Fer rall, chief of Longford, by whom he had a son, Owen or Eugene, who was in the French service, and considered as The O'Reilly. According to Mac Geoghegan, the representative of the ancient princes of Brefney O'Reilly, called the Chevalier O'Reilly, was a lieutenant in Dillon's Regiment, in the Irish Brigade, in 1745, and, according to the Book of Cavan, the above-mentioned Eugene O'Rellly was married to the daughter of colonel Felix O'Neill, of
the French service, by whom he had a son Edmond, who, at the beginning of the Revolution, was living at Paris, with the rank of
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 687
After those sons of John Burke, had joined he took O'Conor prisoner, and O’Donnell caused O'Donnell, as we have stated, they continued to Ballymote, which he had given to O’Conor before harrass and plunder the queen's people in every that time, and also Collooney, to be restored to direction through which they passed, in alliance himself again; and O'Conor was sent to be impri with O’Donnell; so that it was on that account soned to the island of Loch-Iasgaidh (Lough Eask, the lord justice of Ireland commanded the earl of near Donegal), in Tirconnell.
Ormond to put to death the brother of those sons, The young earl of Clanrickard, namely, Rickard namely, John Oge Burke, whom we mentioned to Burke, whom we mentioned to have been appointed
have been taken prisoner by a number of gentle to succeed his father, was commanded by the lord men of the Butlers, in the estate of O’Meagher, in justice of Ireland, i. e. lord Mountjoy, to come
Ikerrin (in Tipperary), in the first week of this with a full military force to the monastery of Boyle, year, and this was accordingly done in the month and to proceed from thence to Sligo, if possible. of June precisely. At the command of the lord justice, the earl was
Conor, the son of Murtogh Garv, son of Bryan, joined by immense numbers of the English, who
son of Teige O’Brien, died about May, at Craig were in garrisons on behalf of the queen, in the Chorcrain, and was buried in the monastery of great towns of Munster, viz. , in Limerick, Kilmal Ennis. lock, Askeaton, &c. ; great bodies of the soldiers
Mary, daughter of Con O’Donnell, the wife of of Galway, and of the town of Athlone, joined in
O'Boyle, i. e. of Teige Oge, the son of Teige, son of Torlogh, died on the 6th of November, and was buried at Donegal.
the same army. When gether the earl, they monastery Boyle, and
those had collected to agreed march the Sligo, and having
O'Conor Sligo, namely, Donogh, the son of crossed the river Suck, the resolution they came Cathal Oge, was taken prisoner by O’Donnell, i. e. was, proceed directly eastward by the long
Hugh Roe, the son of Hugh, son of Manus. The straight roads the Plain Connaught, until
they arrived Elphin, the borders Moylurg, Hy-Bruin the Shannon, Clan-Cathail, and Moy Aoi of Finnbeamach. When O’Donnell received
cause of that capture was this, that O’Donnell
learned that O'Conor was deceiving and betraying
him to the lord justice, and the English of Dublin,
for the lord justice, some time before that, pro intelligence that that immense great army had mised that he would get his own country for O’Co come the place we have before mentioned,
nor from the queen, and that the young earl of Desmond, namely, James, the son of Gerald, who
was imprisoned in London, would be set at liberty,
mustered his forces together,and did not haltun crossed the Curlew mountains, and the river Boyle, into Moylurg, and pitched his camp imme
and sent to his patrimony; for the mother of that diately before them; they remained for some time
young earl was the wife of O'Conor. As O’Don nell ascertained, and was convinced of that affair,
lieutenant-colonel in Dillon's Regiment, and was a knight of the military order of St. Louis. Colonel John O'Reilly of Garryrobuck, near Oldcastle, on the borders of Meath and Cavan, a cousin of the above-mentioned Edmond Buighe, was a representative in parlia ment for the county of Cavan, and became colonel of a regiment of cavalry in the service of king James; he commanded with distin guished bravery in various battles, and after the war retired to his seat at Garry robuck, where he died in 1716, and was buried in the old church of Kill, in the parish of Crosserlough, county of Cavan, where his monument, and those of many others of the family, still remain. The O'Reillys of Kilnacrott, Baltrasna, Ballinrinke, and Tullystown, on the borders of Cavan and Meath, of Thomastown Castle, in Louth, and of Heath House, in the Queen's county, were all branches of the old stock of the O'Reillys, princes of Brefney.
that manner confronted, watching and guarding against each other, and many were their conflicts,
mon, and grandson the above-mentioned colonel John O'Reilly. Count Alexander O'Reilly, his great valour and abilities, rose the rank Generalissimo the Spanish army, between the years 1770 and 1800, and account him will found Swinburne's Travels Spain, and various histories those times. Count An drew O'Reilly, the family Ballinlough, Westmeath, and brother the late sir Hugh O'Reilly Nugent, entered the Austrian service, where rose the rank general Cavalry, and was for upwards forty years distinguished commander great valour, various battles, amongst others Austerlitz and Marengo;
died Vienna, 1832, the 90th year his age. His ne phew, count John O'Reilly, was also the Austrian service, and
present sir John O'Reilly Ballinlough. Count Michael Charles Joseph Reille, distinguished general Cavalry the
Many of the O'Reillys have been distinguished in the military French service, Bonaparte's campaigns, and present peer service of foreign states, amongst whom the following may be men France, descendant one the O'Reillys the Irish Bri tioned : The celebrated count Alexander O'Reilly of Spain, was gades. Many other officers the O'Reillys, too numerous
son of captain Thomas O'Reilly of Baltrasna, by Rosa, daughter here mentioned, were highly distinguished the military service of colonel Luke Mac Dowel of Mantua, in the county of Roscom Spain, Austria and France.
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688 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
severe charges, skirmishes, and onsets, during the God inflicted them, however occurred, was
time they remained opposed to each other, until that the powder which they had the monastery at length the English forces dispersed, and return Donegal for carrying the war was ignited,
ed in sorrow to their homes. Messages came to that burned the boarded chambers, and the stone O’Donnell, afterwards, that Niall Garv, the son of and wooden buildings the entire monastery. Con, son of Calvach (O’Donnell), had come with When those O’Donnell's people who were be his English and Irish from the east across Barnus sieging and watching the English percieved the mountain, and encamped in Donegal, on the bor brown-red blazing flames, and the dark mist ders of Tirhugh ; O'Donnell having received in vapour and smoke which arose from the monastery, telligence that the English had come to that place, they began shoot off their leaden balls, and their he was greatly grieved at the profanation of the flashes firing, order that O’Donnell might monastery, and that the English should occupy come them immediately attack the English, and inhabit it in place of the Mic-Beathaidh for they considered too great delay send him (Monks), and Culdees, whose rightful residence it messengers. That signal was not slowly attended was till then, and it was not becoming him not to O’Donnell and his forces, for they quickly go to relieve them if he possibly could. What he and rapidly advanced, expeditiously they did was, to leave the farmers and Biatachs of possibly could, companies and parties, where Tirconnell, with their cattle and goods, throughout their people were the monastery; fierce and North Connaught, along with some of his soldiers, sanguinary was the assault they made the Eng
to protect them against troops, kerns, and foreign lish, on their friends, and their own blood re
ers; he himself proceeded with the most part of lations who were there, and was hard and difficult
his forces across the rivers Sligo, Duff, Drowis, for O’Donnell's people attend the firing and the Erne, northward, and encamped in a strong the soldiers the monastery, the castle position, precisely at the Carrig, upwards of two Donegal, and the ship the harbour before thousand paces from Donegal, where Niall Garv them; but, however, O'Donnell's people did more O’Donnell and his English were. As to O’Don execution, and slew great numbers them. Of nell, he commanded large companies of forces the gentlemen who fell O’Donnell's side there alternately lay siege the monastery, day
and by night, prevent the English from coming outside the walls, spoil any thing the coun
try. was not happy comfortable that the two armies spent their time, for slaying and destroying,
conflicts and shooting, were carried them re spectively against each other. The English were
reduced great distress and straits, account the long-continued battling which O’Donnell's
people kept them engaged, and some them were the habit escaping parties two and three O'Donnell's camp, account the want and
distress which they were for the necessaries life. They remained that manner until the end September, when God willed avenged on,
and punish the English, for the profanation and
abuse which they committed the churches and apartments the learned psalmodists, viz. , the monastery Donegal, and the monastery Magh erabeg, which the English we have mentioned were quartered and encamped, and others them
the castle Donegal. The visitation which
was Teige, the son Cathal Oge Mac Dermott, noble captain the Clan Maolroona (the tribe name the Mac Dermotts Roscommon); on the other side fell Con Oge, son Con, the brother Niall O’Donnell, together with three hundred
men, that conflict. When Niall Garv O’Don nell perceived the predicament which his people and the English were placed, proceeded west ward, unnoticed, along the coast Magherabeg,
where great number the English were, and brought them with him along the same way,
relieve the other English, who were placed dangerous position O’Donnell and his people;
and the crew the ship continued fighting and firing, cover them, until they entered within the central walls the monastery. When O’Donnell perceived the strongly-fortified position the place
which they were, and the large force which had come relieve the English, commanded his warriors withdraw from the fight, and retire
backward, for did not consider proper that they should destroyed unequal conflict;
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way, and having completed the castle in a month,
he left two hundred soldiers there to guard it; he
himself then proceeded onward to the Fews Moun
tains, to Armagh, and across Avonmore (the river Blackwater), inwards, to go to Portmore, which
Moyry, Carrickfergus, Newry, Carlingford, Dun dalk, Drogheda, &c. was addition fame
and honour the lord justice, the length and dis tance had proceeded into Tyrone that expe dition, such man holding his office had not
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. - 689
his commands were immediately executed, and he
removed his camp a little nearer to the monastery,
and he put some of his forces into that of Magher
abeg, in which the English had been, whom Niall O'Neill. In a year after the death of the lord jus Garv took with him to relieve his people; it was tice, O’Neill also took the same fort from the queen’s on the festival-day of St. Michael precisely (29th people, and in taking it from them, he committed of September), the monastery was burned, and that slaughter among their men and officers, and the affair took place. O’Donnell carried on the siege as fortress remained in the possession of O’Neill from ter that manner against the English, reducing them that time till this, in which the new lord justice to a state of distress and difficulty, from the end of had come to When arrived the vicinity
September till towards the end of October, with
out any deed of note being performed between them
during that time, until news came to them of the
Spanish fleet, which had arrived in the south of On the first days that the lord justice encamped
Ireland to aid the Irish who were engaged in the War.
The lord justice of Ireland, lord Mountjoy, marched with an army, in the month of June, to proceed into Ulster, and his progress is not record ed until he arrived at Ballagh-an-Moyry; this place was always defended and guarded by O'Neill, and
great numbers of people had been often slain and
destroyed, and lamentable deaths took place among
the English and Irish, about that pass, between
O'Neill and the English, until the lord justice
got an opportunity and an advantage of him
(O’Neill), at that time, a thing which seldom hap
pened, so that the outskirts, and the very centre
of the pass, were under his controul on that oc casion. He (Mountjoy), encamped in an advan
August, after having left garrisons Portmore, of stone and lime, at a certain secure place on that Armagh, Machaire-na-Cranncha, Ballagh
had been raised by the lord justice of Ireland, performed for three four years before that time. ” namely, lord Borough, four years before that time, The earl Essex, who had been man power
Mountjoy's Expedition Ulster 1601. —In April, 1601, returned Dublin, and, the 23rd April, says Morrison,
“kept St. George's feast with solemn pomp, the captains bringing up his meat, and the colonels attending his person table. ” O'Neill, Mac Mahon, O'Hanlon, Donal Spainach Cavenagh, and O'Byrne, who had made their submission, “were invited and en
the lord deputy Mountjoy, according Morrison, was Drogheda,
and received the submission Torlogh Mac Henry O'Neill the
Fews; Evir Mac Colla Mac Mahon Farney, Eochy O'Hanlon,
and other chiefs. Captains Blaney and Bodley, with forces from
Mount Norris and Newry, according Morrison, attacked for tertained with plenty wine and all kindness. ” Mountjoy
tified island Loughrorcan, and having prepared their arrows with wild-fire, shot them across the water, by which means they set fire the houses the island, which was used magazine
the Irish, and contained great store butter, corn, meal, and
powder. They also burned the houses along the shore, and killed many people, amongst others, many churls (peasants), and call iachs (old women), and they ravaged the country. Mountjoy
having resolved make another expedition against O’Neill, marched from Dublin Drogheda, the 23rd May, thence Dundalk on the 25th, and on the 8th June he came the hill
Foghard, encamped near the Moyry Pass, and built fort there,
the Three-mile-water. From the camp Foghard, pub
lished the proclamation for the new coin, and having finished the fort Moyry, proceeded Carrickbane, near Newry, the 14th,
and it was on his march to put provision stores into that fort, after it had been raised, that the same lord justice came by an untimely death, through
that way, O’Neill’s people quitted the fort, and
left wide open their enemies and opponents, which was unusual thing with them till then.
that fort, he went reconnoitre, overlook, and
the country about him, and having the borders Benburb Tyrone),
take view
arrived
was met
try some the kerns O’Neill, with grim and stern countenances animosity, and dreadful fierce conflict ensued between them respectively, and immense numbers were slain that place, but, however, more the lord justice's people were slain than O’Neill's soldiers. The lord justice, notwithstanding the opposition encountered, returned back the camp, and, during the period of about month and half that he remained
the fort, none his forces went one mile beyond that into Tyrone, until returned back into the English Pale, and Dublin, the month
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690 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
and eminent service, and of prosperity and good sent to be imprisoned, as a traitor, to the Tower, fortune, on behalf of the queen of England, a man and every person who had share, counsel, part, or who had been engaged by the men of England as alliance with him in that traitorous affair, was ex a leader in making invasions and conquests in ecuted and quartered, and hung upon the gates foreign countries, and who had served for half a and portals of the town; the earl was beheaded on year in the name, and as representative of the so the 18th day of the month of February; captain vereign in Ireland, as we have before stated, began Lee, a gentleman who was advising the earl, and in the first month of this year to give reproach and who was aiding and counselling in committing disrespect to the sovereign, and to set aside the that act, was also put to death for the foremen crown. When that treachery was discovered by the tioned crime.
men of London, they rose up quickly, and well pre James, the son of Thomas Roe, son of James, pared, in opposition to the earl, so that he was dri son of John, son of the earl, who had been nomi
nated earl of Desmond on behalf of the Irish, as we have before stated, sent his brother John, the
and thence to Iveagh ; and sir Richard Morrison was sent with a numbers of the English were slain in this engagement. Morrison great force into Lecale, and having plundered the country, took says that Dr. Latwar, the lord deputy's chaplain, was mortally Downpatrick; Morrison says they made one of the Brady's priso wounded. Mountjoy built a new fort at the Blackwater, near the
ven and pursued from one place to another, through the streets of the town, and likewise outside of the town, so that he was obliged to go to Essex-House,
to protect himself; he had not been long in that
place, when he was forcibly compelled to submit of Edmond, son of Thomas, and Pierce de Lacy, and surrender himself prisoner, and lay down his to Ulster, to ask for relief and aid from the Irish arms to the queen's people; and he was afterwards of the North, when he became reduced and weak
son of Thomas Roe; Fitzmaurice of Kerry, i. e. Thomas, the son of Patrick, son of Thomas, son
old one which had been demolished by O'Neill, and he placed a garrison in it of 350 men, under captain Williams. With his usual barbarity, Mountjoy cut down and destroyed the crops and corn, and burned the country in all directions through which he passed, and he renewed his insolent proclanation that whoever brought O'Neill alive would get £2,000, and for his head receive #1,000 reward During the remainder of the month of July, he had various conflicts with O'Neill's forces, in which many were slain on both sides, and Mountjoy then retired towards Armagh, and on the 3rd of August encamped a little beyond the city to the north. O'Neill followed them closely, and, towards night advan ced from the woods to a hill, under which the English were en camped in a meadow; and Morrison says, the Irish advanced with loud cries, and sound of drums, and bag-pipes, and poured into the
camp about 3,000 shot. In this attack on the camp, many of Mountjoy's forces were killed, and several also of O’Neill's men, amongst whom was slain Pierce Lacy of Bruff, a very valiant commander for many years in Munster, in alliance with O’Neill, and the earl of Desmond. At this time Plunkett, lord Dunsany, who commanded a garrison of 550 horse and foot for the queen at Lisgannon, between Ballyhaise and Cootehill, in the county of Cavan, took a prey of 1600 cows from the Mac Mahons of Mo
naghan, who pursued them, recovered the cattle, and slew about 50 of the English forces, and took captain Esmond prisoner. On
three hours, on a fair green meadow, both sides being alternately repulsed, and the English often driven back to their colours. Morrison, as usual, makes light of the number of Mountjoy's forces that fell there; but, according to the Annals, immense
ner, and cut off his head. Mountjoy received the submission of Felim Mac Gennis, of Mac Cartan, and of Mac Rory of Kilwarlin,
but the chiefs, Art and Edmond Magennis, would not be received to the queen's protection without first doing some service. Having
left sir Richard Morrison, with 500 foot and 50 horse, at Down
patrick, Mountjoy marched towards Newry, and having heard
that O’Neill, with his forces, was near Armagh, and had his
creaghts, says Morrison, feeding some thousands of cows, the lord
deputy prepared his troops, and strengthened his garrisons at
Mount Norris, Newry, Armagh, &c. , and on the 23rd, proceeded
towards the fort of Blackwater, and passed the place where Mar
shal Bagnal's army was defeated, at the Yellow Ford, and he
viewed the battle-field for a long time with great attention. He
then returned, and left a garrison of 750 foot and 100 horse at the
Abbey of Armagh, under sir Henry Danvers, and, on his return to
Mount Norris, viewed the ford where general sir John Norris, a
few years before, had been mortally wounded in a battle with
O'Neill. It appears that Mountjoy's forces were at this time
fiercely attacked by the Irish, under O'Neill, and forced to retire
with much loss; and, on the 24th, Mountjoy arrived with his
forces at Newry, and went thence to Dundalk, where he received
the submission of the chiefs Art, Rory, and Glasny Magennis, and
Patrick Mac Mahon. On the 9th of July he proceeded to Newry, and encamped at Latenbur, beyond that town ; and on
the 13th he marched towards the Blackwater, where he made a
stand, as O'Neill, with his horse and foot, shewed themselves out
of a wood on the other side of the river, with the trumpets, drums,
and colours gained from the English, at the battle of the Yellow
Ford. The Irish poured some vollies of shot on Mountjoy's
forces, which was answered by their cannon, and sir William Go
dolphin was sent forward to the attack with troops of horse; but
the Irish, during the entire night, continued pouring in their shot.
On the 16th Mountjoy advanced, with a regiment of Irish under
sir Christopher St. Lawrence, and passing the Blackwater, pro Kinsale. Mountjoy then proceeded to Clonmel, and thence to ceeded towards Benburb, where there was an old castle of the Cork, to concert measures with Carew against the Spaniards. O'Neills. Here they were attacked by O'Neill's forces, and Mor According to Morrison and others, Mountjoy had 3,000 horse and rison says, they had a hot and long skirmish, which continued
the 7th of August, Mountjoy withdrew towards Newry, and en camped at Mount Norris, where he remained till the 13th, and then removed and encamped within three miles of Armagh ; from thence he came back to Mount Norris, and marched near Newry on the 16th, and remained at Newry till the 25th, he then returned to the Pale, and, on the 29th, arrived at Trim where he remained some time, and went from thence to Kilkenny, where he arrived on the 13th of September, and on the 23rd, he and the earl of Or mond received intelligence of the landing of the Spanish fleet at
foot in this expedition against O'Neill, besides detachments from the different garrisons in Ulster; but he was forced to retire with out bringing O'Neill under subjection, and lost at least 1000 menin the various conflicts in this campaign.
ened in the allied war he was carrying on against
The young earl Desmond, namely, James, the son Gerald, son James, son John, whom we
August precisely; when they appeared before the
council of England, the Tower was by order ap pointed as their residence, for living and sleeping
in it from that forth, till the time of their death, or during their lives, according to the will of God and of their sovereign (see note p. 669).
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 691
the English, and he remained himself, with a small
party along with him, concealing and hiding him
self among his faithful friends, in lonely cold huts,
and in caves of the earth; he continued for some
time after that manner, until on one occasion the
White Knight, namely, Edmond, the son of John,
received private information that James was in a
certain cave in the vicinity of his country, so that
what he did was, to make an incursion on his re
lative, by kindred and pedigree, and his lord, while
engaged in treason for some years before that, re
specting the small fragment of his country in
which he was then, for he had not in his possession
of Munster but that cave, in which he happened to
be on that occasion. James was taken into custody
by the knight, on account of that, and he took
him with him to the president at Cork, without
asking pardon or protection for him, and James,
having been delivered into the hands of the presi
dent, he was carefully guarded till the month of
July precisely. It was in the same month that Flo Thomas, son Richard, remained along with rence, the son of Donogh Mac Carthy, commonly
called Mac Carthy More at that time, came to the
president at Cork, and as soon as he arrived in the
town, he was taken prisoner for the queen, and mas this year, into the province Leinster, and Florence began to proclaim aloud, without reserve,
that they were seizing him in opposition to the
word and protection of the queen; but that was
of no avail to him, for he and James, the son of booty,
Thomas, were sent to England in the month of the county Kildare, the county Hy Failge
The office of governor was held by the earl of been formerly nominated lord, and Theobald
Thomond, namely, Donogh, the son of Conor O’Brien, in the county of Clare, from the day on which the governor of the province of Connaught,
Conyers Clifford, had been slain O'Donnell, on the Curlew mountain; session was held by him for fifteen days the monastery Ennis, about the festival St. Bridget this year, and sixteen men were hanged by him that session. The same earl, together with his brother Donal, went England
the month March Donal returned about Lammas, and the earl remained there after him.
the Ships, the son Richard the Iron, who had been usually acting behalf the queen, were
peaceable and very amicable each other, since the time O’Donnell had established alliance and
friendship between them, until the first month the spring this year; commotion war, and
revival enmity arose between them, and The obald the Ships was the instigator exciting
the discord and renewing the anger, and the re membrance the animosity which arose between them, that the tribe Ulick Burke joined
mentioned have come from England earl the harvest the foregoing year, went Eng
land the spring this year, and remained there until the first month winter, when died and were not that his father had fallen while inop position the queen, and for the manner which his people and faithful followers had been reduced
by the English, the two provinces Munster would have been one wave sorrow, lamentation, af fliction, and mourning, for that young man; was the only rightful heir the stock the true line age, and the last remnant the pure race the Grecian (or noble), descent the Geraldines; his death was the more lamented, that left no heir, either son brother his own, his family, appointed his successor, except few,
and these few were acting against the laws sovereign.
the
Captain Tyrrell, namely, Richard, the son
O'Neill during the foregoing part this year, and
that captain, having got some retained kerns from O’Neill, proceeded with them, about the Lam
impossible recount, relate, enu the captain effected preys, slaughters,
would
merate taking
Offaly, the King's county), and the coun Tipperary, from Lammas (August), the
first month the following winter.
The Lower Burkes, namely, Mac William Burke,
Theobald, the son Walter Ciotach, who was alliance with O’Donnell, and whom had
towns, and people, plunder and
the county Ceithearlach (Carlow),
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692 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
one alliance against Mac William, namely, Theo their gentlemen, captains, and assistants every bald, the son of Walter, and they deposed and stone and wooden building the town they con
veyed from their ships the town their supplies provisions, drink, ordnance, powder, lead, and
other necessaries which they had with them, vernment of the country, by the tribe of Ulick, and they sent away their shipping back their and by Theobald ofthe Ships, namely, Richard, country; they planted their great guns and their the son of Rickard, i. e. Deamhan-Corrain, and he engines shooting and defence, every place by
expelled him from his patrimony, so that he was obliged to go to O’Donnell, and another Mac
William was appointed to succeed him in the go
was commonly called the son of Deamhan-an-Chor which they considered their enemies might attack rain. When Mac William, i. e. Theobald, the son them; they also appointed sentinels and guards
of Walter, went to O’Donnell, he complained to succession, be relieved alternate hours, had him of his troubles and oppression, and the man been their constant practice before their arrival ner in which he was expelled from his country; that place, for they were perfectly sure that the O’Donnell was grieved at that circumstance, but,
however, he could not relieve him immediately,
for he and his forces were engaged besieging
and watching the English who had come his
country, that could not march into any dis (Rincorran castle), exactly the estate Barry
lord justice would come attack them, with the
queen’s army, when the news should reach him. There was another castle on the eastern side of the
harbour Kinsale, which was called Rinn-Corrain
tant territory, relieve either friend relative, account the opposition carried against him his own country. Mac William remained
with him from the first month Spring the fol
lowing Michaelmas, when O’Donnell sent with him many forces could, visit his patrimony
Mac William's country; when arrived the very centre the country, the Mac William who had been appointed the tribe Ulick Burke, and Theobald, the son Richard the Iron,
force, and opposition him, met him the
way which had proceeded, and fierce con Connaught, came with their forces the same
their select men into that castle,
like manner. When the lord justice
ceived intelligence these affairs,
until he arrived Kinsale, with all the forces could muster, all those who were obedient the queen Ireland; thither came the president
the two provinces Munster, with the forces Munster along with him; the earl Clanrickard,
and every leader force body troops that
place; thither also came the Lagenians and Me thians, they had been commanded the lord justice, for the forementioned purpose. After they
the son Rickard Burke, was defeated, and he
himself was slain that engagement, that was camp before Kinsale, from which they made
that manner his government terminated. attack Rincorran, and they did not allow them Spanish fleet arrived the south Ireland, tranqulility rest, sleep repose, for long time,
flict ensued between them, and each them began
reproach the other with their old grudges, and their recent animosities, until length Richard,
and Don John Agola (Don John, Juan Aguila, Aquila), was the name the leader who was their general; the place where they entered port was the harbour Kinsale, the mouth
the blue pool Banndan (the river Bandon), the border Courcy's country, the one side,
and Kinel Aodha, viz. , Barry Oge's estate the other (the baronies Courcy’s and Kinnalea,
while they carried severe conflicts and valorous assaults against each other, until the guards, after enduring all the dangers they encountered, laid
down their arms, and surrendered the lord jus tice, leaving behind them their ammunition and ordnance; the lord justice sent those distri buted among the great towns Munster, until should see how his warfare with the other party
Cork). On their arrival Kinsale, they took them, who were Kinsale, would terminate; under their controul the fortifying, protection, de was that occasion that young Carbry, the son fence and maintenance the town, from the in Carbry Mac Egan, who was standard-bearer habitants who dwelt ’till then; they quartered the son the earl Ormond, was slain. The lord
Oge, Kinnalea, and the Spaniards sent party
was obedient the command the lord justice
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their enemies from firing out of and they would have slain more were not for the earl of Clan
rickard, for was he, and those that happened along with him, that compelled the Spaniards
return back Kinsale. One hour’s cessation, either day night, did not pass between these two camps, that blood was not shed either side, from the first day the lord justice pitched his camp before Kinsale, until they separated, hereafter stated.
When O’Neill, O’Donnell, and the Irish
Leth-Cuinn general, received intelligence
that Spanish fleet, the resolution they came to, with
one accord and disposition, although their chiefs
and nobles had not assembled together determine on their resolutions, conclude their counsels,
was, that each lord country them should leave protection and guard over his territory and
fair lands, and with his arms and forces, with out delay stopping, succour and aid the Spaniards who had come their invitation and request, for was anguish heart and tor ment mind them that they should remain the difficulty and predicament which they were placed their enemies, without relieving them
nearly twenty days the hill Drom Saileach, Ikerrin, waiting for O’Neill, who was marchingslow
after him. O’Donnell’s people continued devasta ting and plundering the country about them, during
the time they remained that place, that they stood need nothing their camp that force could desire, the space they remained there. When the lord justice Ireland received intelli gence that O’Donnell was marching towards them,
sent the president the two provinces Mum
ster, namely, sir George Carew, with four thousand
soldiers along with him, for the purpose meet ing oppose him, order prevent the march which was resolved, and intercept him the common way. When O’Donnell learned that
the president, with his large army, had arrived the vicinity Cashel, proceeded with his forces westward from Ikerrin, along Upper Ormond,
Owney, and the monastery Owney, Clanwilliam, on the borders the Shannon, the
gates Limerick, and south-westward until they arrived, without stopping halting, by day
night, beyond the plain into Hy-Conaill-Gabhra (the baronies Conello, Limerick). When the president discovered that O’Donnell had passed
REIGN OF ELIZABETH.
they could. O’Donnell was the first who pre pared proceed that expedition, and having left guards protect his cattle and flocks, and
people the county Sligo, out the
with many ships and vessels, men, good arms and
provision stores, to succour and aid the sovereign's
people in Ireland. The earl, with the fleet, having namely, O’Rourke, Bryan Oge, the son arrived at the harbour of Kinsale, they landed at Bryan; the sons John Burke; Mac Dermott the side of the port on which the lord justice’s Moylurg; the O'Conors Roe O'Kelly, and the people were, and four thousand men was the num chiefs who were expelled from Munster, and were ber under the command of the earl of Thomond, with him during the foregoing part this year, of that army. Some assert that, were it not for namely, Fitzmaurice Kerry, i. e. Thomas, the the great valour and courage maintained by the son Patrick; the Knight the Glynn, namely, lord justice, before the arrival of the earl of Tho Edmond, the son Thomas; Teige Caoch, the mond and these forces, the camp would have son Torlogh Mac Mahon (of Clare), and Dermod been vacated, and that the English would disperse Maol, the son Donogh Mac Carthy. These and return to their great towns; the earl of Tho forces proceeded through the county Roscom mond encamped apart for himself, at the nearest mon, along the borders the county Galway, angle of the lord justice’s camp to Kinsale. At through Siol Anmcha, and the Shannon; they that time the Spaniards made a sally by night, on were expeditiously conveyed across the Shannon
a quarter of the lord justice's camp, and having Ath Croch (Shannon harbour); from thence they slain great numbers, they broke the stones and proceeded Delvin Mac Coghlan, Farkall (in supporters (the platform) of the great gun of the King's county), the borders Slieve Bloom, and queen’s ordnance, in order that they might prevent into Ikerrin Tipperary). O’Donnell remained
justice and his forces, and the Spaniards of Kinsale, continued shooting and firing at each other, during
the first month of winter, when the queen and the council recommended the earl of Thomond to come
beginning winter from Ballymote. The follow ing were some the chiefs who accompanied him,
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694 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
him into the fastnesses of the country, he chief district, were along with O’Neill and considered it useless to pursue him, and returned O'Donnell, that place; great was the enthu back with his forces to the lord justice. Fitzmau siasm and courage, bravery, and valour, the rice was permitted by O’Donnell on that occasion people who were there; and there was not to proceed along with a party of the force to visit quarter border, throughout the five provinces and reconnoitre Clanmaurice (in Kerry); while Ireland, that these, some party them, did these were traversing the territory, they got an ad not spread abhorrence and hatred, dread and
vantage of some of the castles of the country, and they took possession of them ; the names of those were Lixnaw, Caislean-Gearr of Ardfert, and Baile I-Chaola, and they put guards into those castles;
it was on the same occasion that O'Conor Kerry,
namely, John, the son of Conor O'Conor, took his
own castle, namely, Carrigafoyle, which had been
in the possession of the English for more than a
year before that time, and he himself, with the peo
ple of his castle, joined in alliance with O’Donnell.
O’Donnell remained nearly a week in these dis
tricts of Hy-Conaill-Gabhra, preying, devastating,
plundering, and spoiling the country of every per
son in his vicinity, who had part or alliance with
the English. O’Donnell after that proceeded over
the heights of Sliabh-Luachra (Slieve Lougher and valiantly, with one disposition and one accord, mountain, in the barony of Trughenackmy, county
of Kerry), into Clan Amhlaoibh (Clanawley, in the
barony of Duhallow, county of Cork), to Muskerry
and to Bandon, in the Carberries. All the Irish of the English into great difficulties, for they did not Munster came to him at that place, except Mac suffer hay, corn, water, straw fuel, con
Carthy Riavach, i. e. Donal, the son of Cormac-na Haoine, and Cormac, the son of Dermod, son of
Teige, lord of Muskerry, and these Irish pro
mised they would alliance and union with him
from that forth. As O’Neill, namely Hugh, the
son Ferdorcha, son Con Bacach, departed
from Tyrone week after Samhain (that week
after the 31st October), go the relief the
forementioned Spaniards; after had crossed ties the English, just the English were distress the Boyne, began prey and burn the territory the Irish. The leaders Tirconnell and
Bregia and Meath; afterwards proceeded Tyrone begantodeliberatein council respectingthat through Westmeath and Ormond, across the Suir proposal, and they disagreed and were opposition
westward, and his further progress not recorded
until arrived Bandon, where O’Donnell was
then, and John, the son Thomas Roe, son the
earl (of Desmond), was along with O’Neill that difficulty which they were placed, until they expedition. When the Irish chiefs, with their should perish famine, and from want the
one place, they encamped within the lord justice's camp, the
Bel-Guala, Kinnalea. Many leader force and troop, lord territory, and
necessaries they stood people, and likewise perished. was
O’Donnell,
forces, arrived short distance
need some their their horses, had already
north side,
anguish heart and shame listen the complaint and the
terror amongst the English and Irish who were fighting against them ’till that time; frequent and
numerous were their battles, their exploits, their preys, their conflicts, their slaughters, and their
feats arms, against their enemies, various ter ritories, ’till that very hour; there was no power that they did not overcome, nor host great they were not able encounter, while the Trinity and prosperity aided them, and whilst they did the will
their Lord God, and fulfilled his command ments and testament; ample for giving battle and full engagement against their enemies, other occasions, was the number the forces which were that camp, were they united aiding
each other, had God granted them fight bravely
behalf their religion and their country,
the difficult predicament which their enemies were reduced that occasion. The Irish brought
veyed the lord justice’s camp; they continued for some time that manner, watching each other, until Don John, the general the Spaniards, sent
written dispatch privately the Irish, requesting
them make attack certain quarter the lord justice's camp some night, and that
himself would attack the other part the same night, for they were reduced great difficul
for some time determining unanimous reso lution, for was O'Neill’s advice not attack them immediately, but maintain against them the
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REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 695
predicament of the Spaniards, without relieving them from the difficulty in which they were, even
should his death, or slaying or the loss of his peo ple be the result of it; so that the resolution they
at length came to was, to attack the lord justice’s camp, as they were requested. When the parti
cular night on which they resolved to make that attack came on, the Irish bravely and courageously
took up their arms of battle and conflict, and were
ready for the march; their leaders disputed with O’Donnell came the side O’Neill’s people, each other which party should be first in com after they had been defeated, and began ex mencing the attack of that night, and they thus hort those who were retreating stand maintain proceeded in three powerful columns of battle, and the battle along with his own people, until his ut in three large and numerous bodies of forces, terance and voice failed him, the excess shoulder to shoulder, and elbow to elbow, outside
of the borders of their camp. O'Neill and the Ty
ronians, together with those the Orgiellians
(the Mac Mahons, Maguires, and others, Mo
naghan and Fermanagh), and the Iveachians
Ulidia (Magennises, and others, the county
Down), were separate powerful column; tom with their race till then but, however, all he O’Donnell and the Tirconnallians, together with could do was avail him, for the first
for the purpose falling into their order and ranks, and wait for O’Donnell, and the other party, who had mistaken their way, we have be fore stated. When the lord justice saw that affair,
sent forth powerful active troops attack them, who encountered O'Neill's people, that they continued killing and slaying them, subduing and
reducing them, until five six colours were taken
from them, and many their men were slain.
speaking and loud calls that addressed
general, entreating his brave clans stand by him and fight against their enemies; also told them that was shame and treachery for them have acted that unusual manner, viz. , turn their backs their enemies, such was never the cus
his chieftains, and the Conacians general, were another column; and such were there the
force was defeated, was every other party succession, but, notwithstanding that they were defeated, the number slain them was not im mense, because the pursuers were fewer compared with those who were before them. The displea
gentlemen Munster, Leinster, and the men
Meath, together with their forces, those
them who rose the war alliance the Irish, and
such were expelled into Ulster the foregoing sure God, and misfortune, were evident against part this year, marched the third column, va the pure Gadelians Fodla (Ireland), that oc liantly, with steady pace, without intermixing casion, for oftener had they defeated, with small
with the other forces. Having marched outside the camp that order, the forces mistook the way, and strayed their advance account the great darkness the night, that their guides did not succeed arriving the appointed place before the lord justice’s camp until day-light
the morrow. Some assert that certain person
the Irish sent notice and forewarning the lord justice that the Irish and Spaniards were make attack him that night, that was there fore the lord justice and the queen's forces were
posted their dangerous passes, and their advan
tageous positions, defend their camp against
their enemies. When the darkness the night diminished, and the light day was clear
general. was then O'Neill’s men happened
have arrived the vicinity the lord justice’s
people, without the Irish being actually aware and they were unprepared they avoided them,
party those, many hundreds the English, than turned their backs their enemies, the field battle and the pass danger, every place they encountered till that day. Great and immense was their loss that place, though small was the num ber slain there, for the chivalry and bravery, pros perity and affluence, nobleness and valour, renown and pre-eminence, hospitality and generosity, he roism and defence, piety and pure religion the Islandof the Gael, were lost that conflict. O’Neill and O’Donnell, with their Irish forces, returned back westward Inis-Eoganain (Innishannon,
between Kinsale and Bandon), that night. Alas! was not the condition they were that night, they thought they would have returned from
that expedition, for much blame and recrimination, regret and sadness, sorrow and anguish, prevailed throughout their camp every quarter, and they could not become calmed, much consoled;
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696 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
hasty, immature, and precipitate were their coun These nobles left a party of their neighbouring allies sels after they assembled together, so that the re in Munster, to spoil it in their absence, namely, cap solution they at length came to was, that O’Neill, and tain Tyrrell, with the other sons of John Burke, Rory, the brotherof O’Donnell, with their command together with some other gentlemen; these noble ers and the chiefs of Leth-Cuinn in general, should | Gadelians, namely O'Neill and O’Donnell, ordered
return back to their countries, to protect their terri tories and lands against foreign invaders, and that O'Donnell, namely Hugh Roe, Redmond, the son of John Burke, and captain Hugh Mus (Mostian), the son of Robert, should go to Spain to complain of their troubles, and difficulties to the king of Spain.
3. Landing of the Spaniards, Siege and Battle of Kinsale. — An account of these events is given in the work of Fynes Morri son, who was Secretary to the lord deputy Mountjoy, and also in the Pacata Hibernia of sir George Carew, who was President of Munster, and partly in Mac Geoghegan's Ireland, from O'Sullivan Beare and others; and in Cox's Hibernia Anglicana, from which works the following particulars have been collected. King Philip
III. , of Spain, having resolved to send succours to O'Neill, O'Don nell, the earl of Desmond, and Florence Mac Carthy, to carry on the war against the English, assembled for that purpose some forces under the command of Don Juan del Aguila, or de Aquila, who had served some time against the French and English in Bretagne, but though he was a cominander of some experience, he had not much reputation. O'Connor, however, in his Military Memoirs of the Irish Brigades, unjustly condemns Don Juan, for he appears to have been a brave man, though, perhaps, not pos sessed of much military abilities, besides he was rather vain and insolent towards his Irish allies. The fleet intended to convey the Spaniards to Ireland, was in the mean time sent, under the admiral Don Diego de Brochero, to the island of Terceira, in the Azores, to protect the Spanish galleons coming from America, against the English. This circumstance retarded the expedition, and much diminished the forces; on the return of the fleet from Terceira, it set sail from the Tagus for Ireland, and consisted of 45 vessels, most of them small, 17 of which carried gums,and only 6 were of the large class called galleons, 3 of which were named the St. Paul, the St. Peter, and the St. Andrew. The forces were mostly composed of old soldiers from the garrisons in Italy, with men from the Terceirean islands, and 1,500 Biscayan sailors. Shortly after the fleet had got into the open sea, it was dispersed by a storin, and 7 of the ships, carrying the artillery, warlike stores, and provisions, under the vice-admiral Don Pedro de Zu biar, were forced to take shelter in the harbour of Corunna, which the English writers called the Groyne. The remainder of the fleet, according to some accounts, 35 ships, landed at the harbour of Kinsale, on the 23rd of September, 1601, with about 3500 men, though the forces originally destined for Ireland amounted to 6,000. It appears from Morrison that de Aquila, after landing his forces, sent all his ships back to Spain, except 12, which he kept in the harbour of Kinsale. Carew gives, in the Pacata, the names of all the Spanish captains and commanders, and says they marched to Kinsale with 25 colours. As soon as the Spaniards landed, cap tain Saxeys, the English commander, evacuated Kinsale, and
that their command and controul should be given to O'Sullivan Beare, i. e. Donal, the son of Donal, son of Dermod, for he was the best chief commander
of his party in Munster at that time, in wisdom and valour. It was on the 3rd day of the month of Ja nuary that the Irish were defeated in that battle. ”
any molestation in body or goods, and as much as shall remain, likewise, without any hurt. ” The Spaniards brought a great
quantity of arms for the use of the Irish who would join them, and also 1,600 saddles, expecting, as they were promised, to be fur
nished with horses by the Irish. Don Juan despatched messengers with letters to O'Neill and O'Donnell, advising them of his arri
val, and Mathew de Oviedo, who had come to Donegal to O'Don nell the year before, and had been appointed by the Pope arch
bishop of Dublin, came with the Spaniards to Kinsale and, on the 12th of October, wrote to O'Neill and O'Donnell the following letter, which is given in the Pacata:
withdrew his garrison to Cork. Kinsale is a seaport, situated that hath demolished all the temporalities of this flourishing
near the mouth of the river Bandon, and was then a strong, stone
built town, well securedby nature and art. When the Spaniards
approached Kinsale, the townsmen set open their gates, and
permitted them quietly to enter; the Sovereign, says Carew, “with that is replenished with all good things, being stirred with
his white rod in his hand, going to billet them in several houses, more ready than if they had been the queen's forces. ” Don Juan issued a proclamation to the following effect:
“We, Don Juan de Aquila, general of the army to Philip, king of Spain, by these presents do promise that the inhabitants of the town of Kinsale shall receive no injury from any of our retinue, but rather shall be used as our brethren and friends, and that it shall be lawful for any of the inhabitants that list, to transport, without
their cries, which pierce the heavens, and have reached the ears of the Pope, and of our king Philip. ”
Many of the Munster chiefs joined the English, amongst others Cormac Mac Carthy, lord of Muskerry, while others came to assist the Spaniards at Kinsale, of whom the principal man was the valiant Donal O'Sullivan Beare, aided by Donogh and Fineen O'Driscoll; John O'Connor Kerry, with Fitzgerald, knight of Kerry, Donal Mac Carthy, son of the earl of Clancare, and some
“Pervenimus in Kinsale, cum classe et exercitu Regis nostri Philippi; expectamus vestras excellentias qualibet hora, veniant ergo quam velociter potuerint, portantes equos, quibus maxime in digemus, et jam alia via scripsimus;
“Excellentissimis Dominis, “Don O’Neill et O’Donnell. ”
“FRATER MATHE Us, “Archiepiscopus Dubliniensis.
“We have come to Kinsale with the fleet and army of our king Philip ; we expect your excellencies any hour you please ; ye will therefore come as quickly as ye can, bringing horses, of which we stand in great need ; we have already written by another way. I
say no more.
Farewell.
“Brother MATH Ew,
“To the most excellent lords,
“ Don O'Neill and O’Donnell. ”
Mountjoy having, at this time, published a proclamation censuring the Spaniards for their invasion of Ireland, was answered in a ma
nifesto published by Don Juan, which is given in the Pacata as translated from the Latin, and commences thus: “ Don Juan de Aquilia, general of the war, and the Catholic king of Spain's chief commander in God's war which is made in Ireland for the defence
of the faith,” &c. In it are the following passages in answer to Mountjoy: “O immortal God! who doth not wonder at your bit ter and inexpressible cruelty, and your boldness shewed in these words; for who is it that doth not know the great cruelty which you English have exercised, and cease not to exercise, towards the miserable Irish. You, I say, go about to take from their souls the Catholic faith, which their fathers held, in which consists eternal life; truly you are more cruel than bears and lions. Who is it
kingdom except the English? Look upon this and be ashamed; whereas on the other side we, commiserating the condition of the Catholics here, have left our most sweet and happy country Spain,
non dico plura: valete.
“Archbishop
of Dublin.
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 697
A. D. 1602. great anger, anxiety, and anguish of mind, and he
After the Irish, and the small party of the could not repose or rest for the space of three days Spaniards who were along with them at that time, and three nights afterwards, so that he despaired of the king of Spain's people had been defeated of relief, and the resolution he came to, at the end by the English, in the battle of Kinsale, on the 3rd of that time, through the recommendation of
day of the month of January, as has been already stated, O’Donnell, i. e. Hugh Roe, was seized with
the Mac Carthys Carberry, the adherents Florence Mac Carthy, and some the O’Mahonys and O’Donovans Carberry;
but the Irish Munster made only feeble efforts, being broken down after Carew had taken the earl of Desmond and Florence
Mac Carthy, and sent them prisoners the Tower London. The
lord deputy Mountjoy was Kilkenny when the Spaniards
landed, on which proceeded Clonmel, and thence Cork,
concert measures with sir George Carew, president Munster, and &c. The English actively continued the siege during the month collect the English forces. On the 29th September, Mountjoy, November, the Spaniards making several sallies them, and accompanied Carew, with troop horse, went view Kin severe skirmishes took place, which great numbers were slain sale, and the Spanish fleet, and fix place for their camp. both sides; the English artillery for long time battered the About the 10th October the English had collected all their fortress Castle-ni-park, and the walls Kinsale, having about forces Munster Cork, under Mountjoy, Carew, sir Benjamin 20 pieces artillery, but the Spaniards defended the town with
Mountjoy came with his forces from Cork, within five miles Kinsale, place called Owney Buoy, and the 17th the army
men, horse and foot, under his own command, asisted sir Char les Wilmot and sir Christopher St. Lawrence. About the middle November these forces advanced Ardmaile, near Cashel,
advanced and encamped within half-a-mile the town, under the
hill Knock-Robin, and commenced the siege, but afterwards re attack O’Donnell, who was that time encamped near Holycross.
moved their camp hill called the Spittle, north the town.
The Spaniards were fortified Kinsale, and also put garrisons
two forts castles the entrance of the harbour, that on the
right being called Rincorran, and the one the left Castle-ni defiles, the Abbey Owney, Abington, through O'Ryan's park. The forces Mountjoy, amounting this time about country, and sharp frost having set the time, crossed the
7,000 men, commanded various colonels, sir Richard Wing field, sir John Barkley, sir William Godolphin, sir Arthur Savage,
sir Oliver St. John, sir Richard Percy, lord Audley, &c. , with cap tains Blaney, Bodley, Taaffe, &c. , incessantly continued the siege against the Spaniards, who very valiantly made four five sallies
sorties the English, which great numbers were slain on both sides. The artillery the English, cannons and culverins, constantly battered the castle Rincorran, which length sur rendered, the 1st November, and about 86 the Spaniards, with multitude Irish churls, says Morrison, and many women and children, were made prisoners, but all the swordsmen escaped
Slieve Felim mountains, the borders Tipperary and Limerick, towards the Shannon, and did not halt until arrived Croom.
The boggy mountains would have been impassable, were not for the frost that fortunately set in, and O'Donnell, with his hardy soldiers, performed this astonishing march 32 Irish miles, more than 40 English miles, twenty-four hours, which, Carew says, “was the greatest march with carriage that hath beenheard of. ” Carew advanced rapidly pursuit the Irish Abington, but he there learned that O'Donnell was Croom, which Ca rew proceeded Kilmallock, but says his labour was lost, and then returned Kinsale. O'Donnell next marched into Kerry,
the town. The English forces Kinsale, the 27th Octo and thence the county Cork, and December joined the
ber, 1601, according Morrison, amounted 6,900 foot, and 611 horse, making 7,511 men. On the 10th November Donogh O'Brien, earl Thomond, came from England with ships, and 1,000 men, but the Annals say had 4,000, which included other forces that came the same time, for, the 11th, 2,000 foot and 100 horse, under sir Anthony Cook, landed Waterford, accord ing Cox and Morrison, and the 12th admirals Levison and Preston arrived Cork with ships war, from England, and
Spaniards Castlehaven.
The siege Kinsale was still carried incessantly, and Castle
ni-park was taken the 20th November; the Spaniards, usual, made several sallies, and many were slain both sides. On the 28th the English sent Trumpet summon the town sur render, but was not suffered enter, and got his answer the gate, the Spaniards saying that they held the town, first for Christ, and next for the king Spain, and would defend against all
2,000 men. The fleets under these admirals, and the earl Tho enemies. The English the 30th, having made breach the
mond, brought artillery, arms, ammunition, provisions, and other
supplies. The forces the earl Thomond came Castlehaven, and thence Kinsale, and those Levison, Preston, and Cook,
walls, resolved the 1st December, says Morrison, “to give the Spaniard Bravado,” and for this purpose 2,000 foot were se lected, under their chief commanders, and having advanced, had severe skirmish with the Spaniards, who were lodged the trenches outside, near the walls. this conflict one the Spa nish captains, named Don Pedro Morijon, displayed amazing bra very, and having walked across the breach animating his men, sword hand, sir Richard Wingfield caused many great and small shot fired him, and offered reward £20 whoever should hit him, but though many balls beat the dirt and stones
were brought from Cork and Waterford Kinsale, all act
against the Spaniards. According Morrison, the army Kin
sale, on the 20th November, amounted 11,800 foot, and 857
horse, thus making all 12,657 men, and O'Conor says, his
Military Memoirs, the English had 15,000 men Kinsale. —Mor
rison, vol. pp. 344, 362, 364, and vol. pp. The foot
forces, under Mountjoy and Carew, were distributed into regi
ments, and commanded by colonels. Mountjoy had 1,400 men, his face and about his ears, yet constantly stood his ground,
commanded his lieutenant sir Benjamin Berry, and Carew had 1,100 men; Richard Burke, earl Clanrickard, had 1000; the earl Thomond, 1,000; sir Charles Wilmot, 1,000; shrOliver St.
without receiving any hurt, the end the engagement, which
continued hour, and the English then withdrew their forces, after great numbers had been killed and wounded each side.
O'Neill, although it was with reluctance he ad vised him to was depart from Ireland, and
John, 1,050; sir Christopher St. Lawrence, 1,050; sir Richard
Morrison, 1,100; sir Richard Percy, 950, and lord Audley 900.
The cavalry was commanded the marshal sir Richard Wingfield,
sir John Barkeley, sir Oliver Lambert, sir Garrett Moore, the earl Kildare, sir Edward Herbert, sir Henry Poer, sir William Go
dolphin, sir William Fortescue, sir Theobald Dillon, sir Thomas Burke, and captains Bodley, Bostock, Esmond, Rotheram, Roe,
Berry, &c. , and the forces the Pale, Leinster and Meath, un
der the marshal sir Richard Wingfield, with those from Athlone
and the frontiers Connaught, under sir John Barkley, serjeant
major the army, and those from Armagh, and other garrisons
the North, under sir Henry Danvers. On the 16th October was sent intercept him Tipperary, with force about 5000
great valour, though they had only three four cannons, the rest their guns being board the ships driven storm Corunna.
the mean time O'Donnell, having set out his march Munster, about the beginning November, the president Carew
O'Donnell, haste relieve the Spaniards, did not wait en counter Carew's forces, and having caused fires lighted his camp deceive the enemy, marched onward before day the
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698 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1602. –-s— –
go to Spain to king Philip III. , to request more person relieve him, and likewise the most dis forces and succours from him, for he was of opi posed aid those who fought behalf the
nion that the king of Spain was the most likely
The English having resolved to erect an earthen fort or rath on the west side of the town, in which they would lodge foot forces to second their artillery, captain Bodly, the Trench-master, captain Blaney, marshal Wingfield, and Mountjoy himself, having en
trenched their forces on the hill, began to cast up the fort during
the night, while the Spaniards, from their trenches, fired hotly
during the night on the men, guarding the pioneers, and on the
following day, the 2nd of December, the Spaniards poured in their
small shot; but the English finished the fort, after many had been
killed and wounded on both sides. On the night of the 3rd the
trenches where the cannon was planted, on the east side of the
town, were manned with Mountjoy's guards, under captain Blount,
with the companies of sir Thomas Burke, sir Benjamin Berry, and
captains Rotheran and Harvey; and the fort newly erected on
the west side, near the town, between the two camps, in one of
which, called the great camp, Mountjoy and the earl of Clanrick
ard were lodged, and the earl of Thomond in the other, was man
ned by the forces under captains Flower, Spencer, Dillon, Clare,
Boise, Masterson, &c. , with those of sir Arthur Savage, sir John the fire, and roar artillery, alternating with flashes lightning,
Bearehaven. The English admiral, sir Richard Levison, was sent the Pacata, were 6000 foot and 500 horse, with about 300 the with six ships from Kinsale to attack the Spaniards at Castlehaven, Spaniards from Castlehaven under Don Alonzo del Campo, and where he arrived on the morning of the 6th of December, and had O'Sullivan Beare. The English forces Kinsale before stated,
a sharp action with the Spanish ships, and the forces in the castle. Morrison, as usual, claims the victory for the English ; but it ap
appears they had the worst of and Levison returned Kinsale the next day; this engagement continued part two days, and the English lost about 300 men, though Mac Geoghegan says 575
the English forces were slain. Scottish ship commanded by one David High, Leith, was engaged by the Spaniards Co
runna, but was separated by storm from those which arrived Castlehaven, and came Kinsale; the Scotch captain, instead conveying the Spaniards their own countrymen, betrayed and delivered them into the hands the English. This ship contained 25 ton bread, and butts wine, and there were about 85 Spaniards board, who were sent prisoners England. The siege Kinsale was still actively continued, and Morrison men tions curious incident which occurred this time, that Don Juan Aquila sent challenge lord Mountjoy, that the ques tion between England and Spain should decided between then
according Morrison, amounted 12,600 men, the latter end November; but making allowance for those killed and wounded
since that time, the siege, who died disease, they had least 10,000 men the battle Kinsale, though Morrison, with his usual veracity, make them only 6,600, and says that only about 2000 them were engaged this battle, which statement most glaring falsehood. The Irish army was encamped the 21st, north Kinsale, about mile from the English camp.
O'Neill and O'Donnell were advised Aquila make attack night the English camp, and that and his Spaniards
would sally out from Kinsale, and assault them simultaneously the other side. appears O'Neill was averse this plan, and gave his advice not come engagement, but hem the English, and cut off their supplies, and thus reduce them, famine and disease, which had already set amongst them but O'Donnell was contrary opinion, and considered himself bound
honor ineet the wishes the Spaniards, and was resolved
Roman Catholic religion, and moreover, ac
single combat, but the offer Mountjoy, who absurdly the Romanists were forbidden
the valiant Spaniard was declin alleged, one his reasons, that
the council Trent from fight ing single combat, and that Don Juan had therefore right
challenge him. Mountjoy appears have had great taste for single combats, and and Carew were far more expert attempts
get their opponents betrayed when Mountjoy offered reward head O'Neill; and Carew,
assassinated, as, for instance, one thousand pounds for the
large bribes, got the earl Desmond and Florence Mac Carthy betrayed into his hands.
About the 7th December, O'Donnell's forces joined the Spaniards Castlehaven, and news arrived the 8th, says Morrison, that
O'Neill was advancing towards Kinsale, which the English more strongly fortified their camp. The siege was constantly continued during the month December, amidst violent storms
wind and rain; and many nights there was terrific thunder and lightning, thing very unusual that season, the horrors the scene being thus heightened the awful fury the elements,
Dowdall, sir William Warren, sir William Fortescue, sir Richard Morrison, sir Francis Rush, sir Oliver St. John, and some of the earl of Thoinond's troops; and the cavalry was commanded by sir William Godolphin and the earl of Clanrickard. On that might, which was dark and rainy, the Spaniards, to the number of 2000, made a powerful sally, directed chiefly against the platform and battery, where the English artillery was planted on the east side, and made determined efforts to force the place, and demolish the gabions and trenches, being armed with all sorts of tools and weapons, and with spikes and hammers, to cloy the cannon. After a severe contest, the Spaniards took the fort on the west side, but it was retaken by the English. There were about 5000 men engaged on both sides in this conflict, which continued for a long time, with great fury, and the Spaniards displayed the most undaunted bravery ; according to Morrison 200 of the Spaniards were slain, and the same number wounded, and there were at least as many killed and wounded on the side of the English, with some officers mentioned by Morrison.
On the 3rd of December, the six ships which had been driven to Corunna by storm, and were under the command of the admiral Don Pedro, arrived at Castlehaven, about 20 iniles from Kinsale, with a force of 700 men, or 1000, according to some accounts, with arms, artillery, &c. ; the fleet was cominanded by admiral Siriago, and the forces by Don Alonzo del Campo, some of these forces took possession of the fortress of Castlehaven, which belonged to Donogh O'Driscoll, chief of that district, and they were joined by five brothers of the O'Driscolls. Fineeen O'Driscoll gave a party of the Spaniards his castle of Baltimore, and Donal O'Sullivan Beare gave another party of them his strong castle of Dunboy, at
and loud thunder. The Spaniards, usual, made several sallies during this period, with great bravery, and many fell each side.
On the 21st O'Neill shewed himself, with his forces, horse and foot, hill northward, within about mile two Kinsale, near the river Owney Buoy, and place called Belgoley.
Battle Kinsale. —On the news the arrival the Spaniards Kinsale, O'Neill and O'Donnell actively collected their forces come their assistance, those heroic chiefs and their hardy
soldiers undertaking this arduous expedition more than 200 miles Munster, the depth winter, bad roads, and over
bogs, morasses, and mountains. The chiefs under O'Donnell, according the Pacata, and other accounts, were his brother Rory, Felim O’Dogherty, Mac Sweeny Tuath, O'Boyle and
others, Donegal; Brian O'Rourke Leitrim
Donoghs Corran Sligo, and the brother
the two O'Conors Roe, Conor Mac Dermott
O'Beirne Roscommon, O'Kelly, and the two O'Flahertys, Wil liam and Redmond Burke, and Hugh Mostian, from Galway; and
Munster was joined Thomas Fitzmaurice, lord Kerry, the Fitzgeralds, knights Kerry and Glynn, and Dermod Maoi Mac Carthy Carberry, brother Florence. O'Donnell's forces alnounted 2,500 men. The chiefs who came with O'Neill were
the O'Neills and O'Hagans
others, the Mac Donnells
the Mac Canus Armagh;
stantine Maguire Fermanagh, with some the O'Reillys Cavan; captain Richard Tyrrell, John Fitzgerald, brother the earl Desiuond, and Pierce Lacy. O'Neill's forces were about 4000, and the entire the Irish forces, according Morrison and
Tyrone; Randal Mac Sorley and Antrin; the Magennises Down; the Mac Mahons Monaghan Con
the two Mac O'Conor Sligo;
Moylurg, and
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REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 699
count of his alliance with the Irish, from their sions. Having determined that resolution, the having originally come from Spainto invade Ireland, persons selected accompany him that mis as recorded in the book called the Book of Inva sion were, Redmond Burke, the son John; cap
immediately to attack the English. According to the Pacata,
Brian Mac Hugh Oge Mac Mahon, whose son had been a
page with the president Carew in England, some years before,
sent, on the 22nd, a boy to captain William Taafe, requesting
him to procure a bottle of aqua vitae, or usquebaugh, from
Carew, which he sent him for old acquaintance sake. On Leger. The Irish, from some unaccountable cause, never fought
the 23rd Mac Mahon sent the same messenger, thanking Ca
rew for his present, and at the same time sent him a letter advising
him to stand well on his guard the following night, for that he was
present at a council, wherein it was resolved that the English
camp should be assaulted the next night, by the Irish and Spa
niards, therefore Mountjoy and Carew were perfectly prepared for
the expected surprise ; besides, it is stated, that on the 23rd, a
letter was intercepted from De Aquila to O'Neill, advising the
attack. It was determined on to assault the English camp on the
23rd, but it appears there was some misunderstanding between
O'Neill and O'Donnell, as to which should have the honor of lead Fineen O'Driscoll, and the Irish these parts, they are become ing the vanguard; however, it was finally agreed upon that cap
tain Tyrrell should lead the van, O'Neill the centre, and O'Don
nell the rear. It was intended to attack the English early in the
night, but, from the great darkness, the Irish forces missed their
way, and did not come up to the camp 'till near day-break on the
24th. The English forces were commanded by Mountjoy himself,
Carew, the earls of Thomond and Clanrickard, the marshal Wing
field, sir Richard Percy, sir Charles Wilmot, sir Christopher St.
Laurence, sir Richard Greame, sir Benjamin Berry, sir Richard
Morrison, lord Audley, sir Oliver St.
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 683
many were wounded on each side, and O'Neill’s and on which they agreed was, to attack the Coma people were defeated; and Niall and his English cian camp very early on the following morning.
returned again to their homes at Lifford, with much booty and sway.
An unusual thing and an evident fatality befel that camp of the Burkes, viz. , an advantage being gain
On another occasion after that, Niall, with his
brethren and his English, went into Tyrone, and
they preyed the entire of Gleann Aichle. They de
feated in another engagement the sons of Ferdor completely hacked, throughout their tents and cha, the son of John, son of Donal (O’Neill), at booths. On that occasion O’Shaughnessey, i. e.
Cnoc-Buidbh, near Strabane, and they slew some John, the son of Giolla Duv, son of Dermod, son
people; Torlogh Oge O'Quinn, with some others,
were taken prisoners, and three score marks were exacted for his ransom.
Baile-Nua (Newtownstewart), in Tyrone, and
Castlederg, were taken by Niall and the English,
but it was taken from them again in a short time after. -
of William, who had been expelled from his patri
mony, like the other insurgents who were along
with the sons John Burke, was slain; John
Oge, the son John Burke, was taken prisoner there, and was brought Kilkenny, impri
soned. Redmond Burke and William, together with number their party, having escaped from that conflict, went from thence into Ely, but did
ed of their watching, so that their enemies came amongst them, who left them stretched lifeless, with their flesh lacerated, and their gory bodies
Rory, the son of Eignechan, son of Eignechan,
son of Nechtan, son of Torlogh of the Wine not remain long that territory when they pro
O’Donnell, died.
A. D. 1601.
The sons of Shane-ma-Seamar, the son of Rick
ceeded into Ulster, leaving the towns Ormond,
which were alliance with them ’till then, feebly defended. When they had arrived amongst the Irish the North, namely, O’Neill and O'Don nell, Redmond Burke began employ some com
ard Saxanach (Burke), of whom we have already
treated, were encamped in the estate of O’Meagher mon soldiers march into Clanrickard, and in Ikerrin (in Tipperary), on the first days of the having engaged those, proceeded the first
month of January. Spies and reconnoiterers days spring across the river Erne (at Ballyshan came about them in that place, from the Butlers, non), along the borders Brefney O’Rourke
after it had been reported by some of their gentle men that an opportunity and an advantage could
be obtained to attack them at that place where
they were ; so that it was on that account sir Wal
ter, the son of John, son of James Butler, and
Mac Pierce, namely, James, the son of Edmond, son William, son Thomas. Redmond, after son of James, with a number of the gentlemen of that, arrived Tuath-an-Chaladh (the district the two counties, viz. , of the county of Tipperary
and of the county of Kilkenny, came to meet and join each other on a certain night, at a particular place appointed and agreed upon by them; the
resolution to which they came in their consultation,
the port ferry, west the river Suck, the Shannon), the south Hy-Maine, the coun
Warren's house Leix. There he received directions from the
council England decry the silver money and proclaim new March, Mountjoy proceeded Trim, Ardbraccan, and other
ounces silver, and brass this base coinage, Brass Money, Ireland this time, which ruined thou
all the queen's servants, who came home beggars,
parts Meath, and thence into Monaghan, and plundered Farney, and other parts Mac Mahon's country, burned the houses, corn, and goods the people, and thence came Ardee, and sir Edward Moore's house Mellifont, and Drogheda, where remained till the 16th April, and then returned Dublin, having,
the course this marauding expedition, plundered, burned and
laid waste the countries through which passed, and massacred the inhabitants with unrelenting fury and inhumanity.
coin ounces fine (that the 1b). Great quantities was sent for circulation sands, and impoverished
prices sent over undoing
classes, and excessively raised the Morrison says, “this base money was impoverish the rebels, but, conclusion, was the
all commodities.
that only the treasurers and paymasters, who were thereby infl nitely enriched, had cause bless the authors of this invention. ”
(county Leitrim), into the county Sligo, the county Roscommon, across the river Suck, into Clan Conmaigh (in Galway); took prison
the lord that country, namely, Mac David (Burke), Fiacha, the son Hoberd Buighe,
Galway. When the earl Clanrickard, namely, Ulick Burke, received intelligence that affair, proceeded the eastern border his
(See Note on Brass Money, page 426). the course the month
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684 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
country, to wait for and watch Redmond, but, not withstanding all his watching, Redmond, on the
thirteenth night of the month of March, unper
ceived or unheard by the earl or his sentinels,
went past them into Clanrickard, until he arrived
at Tuath-Chenel-Fheighin (district of Kinel-Fei
chin), in the southern part of the barony of Lei
trim, in the county of Galway. Redmond sent
forth his predatory parties, early in the morning of
that night, to the towns the district, from
Magh-Glas Crannog-Mac-Cmaimhin the
Cranoge, fortress MacNevin), and from Coill O’Brien confirmed their war alliance with each Breac the mountain (Slievebaughta Moun other, Teige requested, three days after that, tain, the barony Leitrim, the borders furnished with party for the purpose Clare). The most the wealth the district, scouring some quarter Thomond; was not
and moveable property, were under the con troul Redmond, before the noon that day;
afterwards proceeded take up his quarters the woods the upper part the district, and
continued four five days that campaign, drawing supplies from the neighbours, and forti fying about him, until the earl Clanrickard,
with the greatest force could procure the inhabitants the country, came and encamped the monastery Kinel-Feichin. They remained four five days those positions, during which dishonourable slayings were committed between
refused that request, for number the gentlemen the camp, accompanied him with their kerns;
those were William, the son John Burke, and
Redmond and his predatory parties arrived the
Thomond (county Clare), they en
borders
camped
Cooter,
where young gentleman the Dalcassians, name
the western side Loch-Cutra (Lough the barony Kiltartan, Galway),
Teige, the son Torlogh, son Donal, son
Conor O’Brien, came him, the advice and
request some foolish people, without asking the permission leave his father, the earl
Clanrickard, whom was related and friend ship. When the sons John Burke and Teige
Bryan-na-Murtha, Owen O’Rourke,
forces overtook the earl, departed from the camp which was, and proceeded through the passes into Clanrickard, and they pursued him
the town Loughrea; the earl and his people escaped from them that occasion, they overran
and devastated all that lay from Leitrim Ard Maoldubhain and the gate Feadan, the west
quin), and the upper part Clan-Cuilein (baro nies Tullagh and Bunratty); some them
went Baile-ui-Aille (in the parish Temple mally), and near Clonroad, (at Ennis); they re
turned back with their booty that night Cill Reachtais, Upper Clan Cuilein the parish Kilraghtis, the barony Bunratty); their leaving that town the following morning, they were overtaken by the gentlemen the two Clan Cuileins, with their risings out, and also by the companies the earl Thomond; that pursuing party Thomond began shoot these insurgents, and slew many their people, from that place
them, until Teige, the son son Bryan Ballach, son
with fierce companies
came aid Redmond. When those two combin
well-armed soldiers,
Kinel-Aodha (in the barony Kiltartan).
was that time lord country the Momo Meelick O’Grady (in the barony Bunratty),
the eastern part Kinel Dungaile; the pursu ers, however, returned, and the other party carried
with those sons John Burke, and fell after that Torlogh O'Brien, was wounded the shot manner the war of the Clan William. When ball, that was obliged, after arriving the
nians was slain their side, namely, Mac Do nogh (of Duhallow, Cork), Donogh, the
son Cormac Oge, son Cormac, and the man
ner which went that expedition was this, ber their gentlemen, and common soldiers; that O’Neill, having brought him captive from those was that son of Mac William we have men Munster, the spring the foregoing year, tioned, namely, Walter, the son William Burke; remained Ulster from that time ’till he marched the same day, moreover, Teige, the son
the son
the son
Mac William Burke, namely, Walter,
William, son David, son Edmond, Ulick; after they left the camp, they pro
son
ceeded the border Kinel-Aodha, and Echtge, and Kinel-Dungaile (in the barony Tullagh, Clare), they sent forth their predatory parties both sides the river Fergus, through the lower part Hy-Fearmaic (barony Inchi
off the prey the camp, after having lost num
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Burke, they
mond
the queen, and
sent him
Red behalf therefore went them; the
pointed his successor, and was record the year
which the earl died the following was composed: “Since Christ had entered the human flesh
To intercede for every future age, Sixteen hundred years and one elapsed Unto the death of the earl Ulick. ”
baron sent an escort with him Leitrim, one the earl's towns, but did not long survive there, for he died soon after, and was buried the town
Loughrea, and the town Athenry suc cession, one week; the young scion who then
died was lamentable loss his country, for was expert every military weapon, and every
battle engine which were used amongst the Irish, feats valour, and was distinguished for gaiety, mirth, activity, feats arms, mildness,
comeliness, fame, and hospitality. As those camps the district Kinel-Feichin, they were closely confronted every day, guarding against each other, from the festival St. Patrick the end the month April, until the provisions and flesh
John, Conor Cuireach (the Heroic),
REIGN OF ELIZABETH.
685
camp, to confine himself to a sick couch, and to meat supplies, the sons
go under the hands of doctors, despite of his in reduced and exhausted, and
corrigible disposition and rash temper. Large prepared quit the place; and, after having left bodies of the queen’s people came from various the country, they took prey from O'Madden, quarters to aid the earl of Clanrickard, and of these namely, Donal, the son John, son Breasal; they were eight or nine colours of soldiers, from the proceeded from thence across the river Suck, and the president of the two provinces of Munster; thi sons the earl having pursued them during that ther came the son of the earl himself, who had
been for some time previous to that along with the
lord justice, with a large force of foreign soldiers;
thither came the deputy governor of the province nell, and the sons the earl returned their of Connaught, and also an auxiliary force from country and homes, and their arrival their
Galway. When the sons of John Burke received estate, the condition which they found their fa intelligence of the assembling of those, they re ther, the earl, namely, Ulick, the son Rickard, moved back eastward along the mountain, into the son Ulick the Heads, was his last moments, fastnesses of the district of Kinel Feichin, and re after making his will, taking leave his nearest mained in the temporary huts in which they had friends, and after settling his worldly affairs; previously been ; they were not, however, long died the month May, the town Loughrea, there, when the sons of the earl, namely, the ba and was buried the town Athenry, with great ron of Dunkellin and sir Thomas Burke, together solemnity. The person who then died was one with every one of his sons who was able to serve the most lamented amongst the Irish his as commanders in the army, came, with numerous time; was lord deliberate, just judgments, forces along with them, into the district, in pursuit mild countenance, becoming chief, all of them, and formed a large extensive camp in the those who addressed him; kind the people his centre of the district. The earl of Clanrickard country, warlike his neighbouring people, equi
space, many people were slain between them both sides, on that occasion. The sons John
Burke proceeded after that Tirconnell O’Don
O’Dogherty,
son Felim, son
died the 27th
rony Inisowen, and there was not lord ba rony amongst the Irish more distinguished for ma nual action and hospitality, more bold counsel than he. O’Donnell nominated Felim Oge, John's brother, the O’Dogherty; the clan Ailin, and the clan Daibed, brought Cahir, the son John Oge, the English Derry, and the general, sir Henry Docwra, nominated him O’Dogherty, through animosity for O'Donnell.
John Burke, became that account they
himself was not in that camp, for he was attacked by a sickness, and dangerous severe disease, the week before that, that he was not able
march with army that time. When the de puty governor the province Connaught, and
the baron Dunkellin, learned that Teige O’Bri
table council, man whose energy, were not witnessed
weakness, want
the point dan military command
ger, since the time assumed
the day his death; his son Rickard was ap
John Oge, the son
January; was lord the ba
Redmond O'Gallagher, bishop Derry, was
killed by the English O’Kane's country, the 15th of March.
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686 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
James, the son of Sorley Buighe, son of Alex defended the rugged and intricate tract of land ander, son of John Cathanach, the most distin which he retained until he died, and he was buried
guished leader of the Clan Donnell in his time, either in peace or war, died on Easter Monday.
Mac I-Brien of Ara (in Tipperary), namely Tor logh, the son of Murtogh, son of Donal, son of
at his own fortress in Baile-an-Chaislein (Castle townara, in the barony of Owney and Arra, county of Tipperary).
O’Reilly, i. e. Edmond, the son of Maolmora, son of John, son of Cathal, died in the month of April; he was an aged, grey-haired man, of strong memory of remote times, and active and energetic,
Teige, died in the month of February; there was
not a lord of a country in Ireland of his age the
night he died, a more active and valiant man, who
would lead his force more safe out of every coun both in mind and body, till his death ; he was try into which he had made incursions; and seldom buried at Cavan, in the monastery of St. Francis, any force escaped from him in the same strength and his brother's son, namely, Owen, the son of they entered his country; he was a person who Hugh Connallach, was appointed his successor. "
A. D. 1601.
1. The last Chiefs of the O'Reillys. -The MS. work called the
Book of Cavan, which is in the possession of Mr. Geraghty, the publisher of these Annals, and was chiefly compiled from ancient
documents by the late learned Chevalier Thomas O'Gorman, gives a history of the O'Reillys, from which some of the following par
ticulars have been collected. This Edmond O'Reilly, above-men tioned, was known as Edmond of Kilmacrott; he had a castle at that place, in the county of Cavan, where Morton's magnificent mansion now stands. Edmond was brother of Hugh Conallach O'Reilly, the celebrated prince of Brefney, whose death, in the
year 1583, is recorded at p. 538, in these Annals; he was sur named Conallagh, or the Connallian, from being fostered and
brought up in Tirconnell, under the care of his maternal grandfa ther, Hugh Duv O’Donnell, prince of that country. This Hugh
O'Reilly was three times married: first to the daughter of Betagh of Moynalty, in Meath; secondly, to a daughter of sir Thomas Nu
gent, of Carlanstown, in Westmeath ; lastly, to lady Isabella Barn wall, of Meath ; by his first wife he left three sons, Shane Roe, or Red John, Philip, and Eogan; by his second a son, Maolmora, or
though he and some of his successors were styled lords of Cavan, they had but little of the power or possessions of their ancestors. During the time of Miles, from 1610 to 1620, the plantation of
Ulster with British colonies took place, and the county of Cavan being confiscated by James I. , was seized by the crown, and al most the whole of its lands, the ancient territory of the O’Reillys for many ages, was transferred to English and Scotch settlers, called Undertakers, of which transactions accounts are given in Pynnar's Survey, in Harris's Hibernica, and in the Tracts of sir John Davis. Some chiefs of the O'Reillys got regrants from the Crown of portions of their own ancient possessions,amongst others Miles O’Reilly, the last lord of Brefney, who was obliged to give up the ancient seat at Tullymongan, in Cavan, that town and cas tle coming into the possession of the corporation established there by king James in 1610. Miles built a castle at Camett, now called Castle Cosby, near Crossdoney, where he retired and died in 1635. Colonel Philip O'Reilly, of Ballinacargy castle, in the county of Cavan, was next recognised as The O'Reilly; he was the son of Hugh, son of sir John O'Reilly above-mentioned, and when a young man had served some time in the Spanish army; shortly after his return to Ireland he became one of the chief leaders in the great Insurrection of 1641, and was a distinguished commander for many years in co-operation with Owen Roe O'Neill, his brother in-law, being married to his sister, Rose O'Neill. After the Cromwellian war, O'Reilly retired with his forces to Spain, in 1652, and entered the Spanish service in the Netherlands, where he died about the year 1655, and was buried in the Irish monas tery at Louvain. His relative, colonel Miles O’Reilly, of Camett, was high sheriff of the county of Cavan in the year 1641, and was a commander of note at that period ; he also retired to Spain along with Philip, and afterwards went to France, where he died about the year 1660, and was buried in the Irish monastery at Chalons-sur-Marne. Hugh Roe, the son of colonel Philip O’Reilly, was a valiant commander, and was killed in a battle with the Cromwellians in the county of Cavan, in 1651; he was married to a daughter of Conor O’Brien, viscount of Clare, by whom he had a son named Hugh, who was drowned at sea on going to Spain.
Miles, but no children by his third wife. On the death of Hugh,
his brother, Edmond, the Tanist, or heir apparent, was to succeed
as prince of Brefney, but was opposed by his fiephew, Shane Roe,
whose claim was supported by the English, and both these chiefs,
while in contention for the lordship, attended sir John Perrott's
parliament in Dublin in 1585, as representatives for the county of
Cavan, as mentioned in these Annals. Shane Roe made his sub
mission to the English, went to London, was well received at
Court, and knighted by queen Elizabeth. Sir John O'Reilly
agreed to hold his extensive estates in the county of Cavan under
the crown, and to give up the ancient tenures and customs of Ta
nistry, but sir John afterwards joined Hugh O'Neill, earl of Ty
rone, against the English, and died at Cavan on the 1st of June,
1596. On the death of sir John, his brother Philip was appointed
prince of Brefney, by Hugh O'Neill, earl of Tyrone, but Philip
held the lordship but a short time, for he was accidentally killed
by some of O'Neill's people on the 19th of November in the same
year. At this time Maolmora Breagh, or Miles the Handsome, His cousin Edmond, called Eamun Buighe, succeeded as The
the son of sir John O'Reilly, a young man of fine person, great va lour, and ambition, who was married to a niece of Thomas Butler, earl of Ormond, aspiring to the lordship of Brefney, joined the English, and having repaired to London, was well received by queen Elizabeth, who gave him a grant of the county of Cavan by
Letters Patent, with the promise of an earldom ; he commanded a regiment of cavalry in the English service, and was called The
Queen's O'Reilly; he was slain in 1598, at the great battle of the Yellow Ford, in Armagh, of which an account is given at p. 627 in
the Annals. Edmond O'Reilly, above mentioned, succeeded his ne phew Philip as prince of Brefney, in 1596, and died in his castle
of Tullymongan, at Cavan, in 1601 ; he was succeeded by his ne phew, Eogan or Owen, one of the sons of Hugh Conallach, and
Owen having died in 1603, was succeeded by his brother Maolmora. This Maolinora, or Miles, was the last prince of Brefney, and
O'Reilly ; he was some time in the French service, and came to Ireland with king James II. in 1689, and he was appointed go vernor of the county of Cavan, and commanded as a colonel in the army of king James, at the battles of Cavan, the Boyne, Aughrim, Limerick, &c. He retired with the Irish Brigades to France, where he died in 1693; he was married to the daughter of O'Fer rall, chief of Longford, by whom he had a son, Owen or Eugene, who was in the French service, and considered as The O'Reilly. According to Mac Geoghegan, the representative of the ancient princes of Brefney O'Reilly, called the Chevalier O'Reilly, was a lieutenant in Dillon's Regiment, in the Irish Brigade, in 1745, and, according to the Book of Cavan, the above-mentioned Eugene O'Rellly was married to the daughter of colonel Felix O'Neill, of
the French service, by whom he had a son Edmond, who, at the beginning of the Revolution, was living at Paris, with the rank of
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 687
After those sons of John Burke, had joined he took O'Conor prisoner, and O’Donnell caused O'Donnell, as we have stated, they continued to Ballymote, which he had given to O’Conor before harrass and plunder the queen's people in every that time, and also Collooney, to be restored to direction through which they passed, in alliance himself again; and O'Conor was sent to be impri with O’Donnell; so that it was on that account soned to the island of Loch-Iasgaidh (Lough Eask, the lord justice of Ireland commanded the earl of near Donegal), in Tirconnell.
Ormond to put to death the brother of those sons, The young earl of Clanrickard, namely, Rickard namely, John Oge Burke, whom we mentioned to Burke, whom we mentioned to have been appointed
have been taken prisoner by a number of gentle to succeed his father, was commanded by the lord men of the Butlers, in the estate of O’Meagher, in justice of Ireland, i. e. lord Mountjoy, to come
Ikerrin (in Tipperary), in the first week of this with a full military force to the monastery of Boyle, year, and this was accordingly done in the month and to proceed from thence to Sligo, if possible. of June precisely. At the command of the lord justice, the earl was
Conor, the son of Murtogh Garv, son of Bryan, joined by immense numbers of the English, who
son of Teige O’Brien, died about May, at Craig were in garrisons on behalf of the queen, in the Chorcrain, and was buried in the monastery of great towns of Munster, viz. , in Limerick, Kilmal Ennis. lock, Askeaton, &c. ; great bodies of the soldiers
Mary, daughter of Con O’Donnell, the wife of of Galway, and of the town of Athlone, joined in
O'Boyle, i. e. of Teige Oge, the son of Teige, son of Torlogh, died on the 6th of November, and was buried at Donegal.
the same army. When gether the earl, they monastery Boyle, and
those had collected to agreed march the Sligo, and having
O'Conor Sligo, namely, Donogh, the son of crossed the river Suck, the resolution they came Cathal Oge, was taken prisoner by O’Donnell, i. e. was, proceed directly eastward by the long
Hugh Roe, the son of Hugh, son of Manus. The straight roads the Plain Connaught, until
they arrived Elphin, the borders Moylurg, Hy-Bruin the Shannon, Clan-Cathail, and Moy Aoi of Finnbeamach. When O’Donnell received
cause of that capture was this, that O’Donnell
learned that O'Conor was deceiving and betraying
him to the lord justice, and the English of Dublin,
for the lord justice, some time before that, pro intelligence that that immense great army had mised that he would get his own country for O’Co come the place we have before mentioned,
nor from the queen, and that the young earl of Desmond, namely, James, the son of Gerald, who
was imprisoned in London, would be set at liberty,
mustered his forces together,and did not haltun crossed the Curlew mountains, and the river Boyle, into Moylurg, and pitched his camp imme
and sent to his patrimony; for the mother of that diately before them; they remained for some time
young earl was the wife of O'Conor. As O’Don nell ascertained, and was convinced of that affair,
lieutenant-colonel in Dillon's Regiment, and was a knight of the military order of St. Louis. Colonel John O'Reilly of Garryrobuck, near Oldcastle, on the borders of Meath and Cavan, a cousin of the above-mentioned Edmond Buighe, was a representative in parlia ment for the county of Cavan, and became colonel of a regiment of cavalry in the service of king James; he commanded with distin guished bravery in various battles, and after the war retired to his seat at Garry robuck, where he died in 1716, and was buried in the old church of Kill, in the parish of Crosserlough, county of Cavan, where his monument, and those of many others of the family, still remain. The O'Reillys of Kilnacrott, Baltrasna, Ballinrinke, and Tullystown, on the borders of Cavan and Meath, of Thomastown Castle, in Louth, and of Heath House, in the Queen's county, were all branches of the old stock of the O'Reillys, princes of Brefney.
that manner confronted, watching and guarding against each other, and many were their conflicts,
mon, and grandson the above-mentioned colonel John O'Reilly. Count Alexander O'Reilly, his great valour and abilities, rose the rank Generalissimo the Spanish army, between the years 1770 and 1800, and account him will found Swinburne's Travels Spain, and various histories those times. Count An drew O'Reilly, the family Ballinlough, Westmeath, and brother the late sir Hugh O'Reilly Nugent, entered the Austrian service, where rose the rank general Cavalry, and was for upwards forty years distinguished commander great valour, various battles, amongst others Austerlitz and Marengo;
died Vienna, 1832, the 90th year his age. His ne phew, count John O'Reilly, was also the Austrian service, and
present sir John O'Reilly Ballinlough. Count Michael Charles Joseph Reille, distinguished general Cavalry the
Many of the O'Reillys have been distinguished in the military French service, Bonaparte's campaigns, and present peer service of foreign states, amongst whom the following may be men France, descendant one the O'Reillys the Irish Bri tioned : The celebrated count Alexander O'Reilly of Spain, was gades. Many other officers the O'Reillys, too numerous
son of captain Thomas O'Reilly of Baltrasna, by Rosa, daughter here mentioned, were highly distinguished the military service of colonel Luke Mac Dowel of Mantua, in the county of Roscom Spain, Austria and France.
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688 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
severe charges, skirmishes, and onsets, during the God inflicted them, however occurred, was
time they remained opposed to each other, until that the powder which they had the monastery at length the English forces dispersed, and return Donegal for carrying the war was ignited,
ed in sorrow to their homes. Messages came to that burned the boarded chambers, and the stone O’Donnell, afterwards, that Niall Garv, the son of and wooden buildings the entire monastery. Con, son of Calvach (O’Donnell), had come with When those O’Donnell's people who were be his English and Irish from the east across Barnus sieging and watching the English percieved the mountain, and encamped in Donegal, on the bor brown-red blazing flames, and the dark mist ders of Tirhugh ; O'Donnell having received in vapour and smoke which arose from the monastery, telligence that the English had come to that place, they began shoot off their leaden balls, and their he was greatly grieved at the profanation of the flashes firing, order that O’Donnell might monastery, and that the English should occupy come them immediately attack the English, and inhabit it in place of the Mic-Beathaidh for they considered too great delay send him (Monks), and Culdees, whose rightful residence it messengers. That signal was not slowly attended was till then, and it was not becoming him not to O’Donnell and his forces, for they quickly go to relieve them if he possibly could. What he and rapidly advanced, expeditiously they did was, to leave the farmers and Biatachs of possibly could, companies and parties, where Tirconnell, with their cattle and goods, throughout their people were the monastery; fierce and North Connaught, along with some of his soldiers, sanguinary was the assault they made the Eng
to protect them against troops, kerns, and foreign lish, on their friends, and their own blood re
ers; he himself proceeded with the most part of lations who were there, and was hard and difficult
his forces across the rivers Sligo, Duff, Drowis, for O’Donnell's people attend the firing and the Erne, northward, and encamped in a strong the soldiers the monastery, the castle position, precisely at the Carrig, upwards of two Donegal, and the ship the harbour before thousand paces from Donegal, where Niall Garv them; but, however, O'Donnell's people did more O’Donnell and his English were. As to O’Don execution, and slew great numbers them. Of nell, he commanded large companies of forces the gentlemen who fell O’Donnell's side there alternately lay siege the monastery, day
and by night, prevent the English from coming outside the walls, spoil any thing the coun
try. was not happy comfortable that the two armies spent their time, for slaying and destroying,
conflicts and shooting, were carried them re spectively against each other. The English were
reduced great distress and straits, account the long-continued battling which O’Donnell's
people kept them engaged, and some them were the habit escaping parties two and three O'Donnell's camp, account the want and
distress which they were for the necessaries life. They remained that manner until the end September, when God willed avenged on,
and punish the English, for the profanation and
abuse which they committed the churches and apartments the learned psalmodists, viz. , the monastery Donegal, and the monastery Magh erabeg, which the English we have mentioned were quartered and encamped, and others them
the castle Donegal. The visitation which
was Teige, the son Cathal Oge Mac Dermott, noble captain the Clan Maolroona (the tribe name the Mac Dermotts Roscommon); on the other side fell Con Oge, son Con, the brother Niall O’Donnell, together with three hundred
men, that conflict. When Niall Garv O’Don nell perceived the predicament which his people and the English were placed, proceeded west ward, unnoticed, along the coast Magherabeg,
where great number the English were, and brought them with him along the same way,
relieve the other English, who were placed dangerous position O’Donnell and his people;
and the crew the ship continued fighting and firing, cover them, until they entered within the central walls the monastery. When O’Donnell perceived the strongly-fortified position the place
which they were, and the large force which had come relieve the English, commanded his warriors withdraw from the fight, and retire
backward, for did not consider proper that they should destroyed unequal conflict;
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way, and having completed the castle in a month,
he left two hundred soldiers there to guard it; he
himself then proceeded onward to the Fews Moun
tains, to Armagh, and across Avonmore (the river Blackwater), inwards, to go to Portmore, which
Moyry, Carrickfergus, Newry, Carlingford, Dun dalk, Drogheda, &c. was addition fame
and honour the lord justice, the length and dis tance had proceeded into Tyrone that expe dition, such man holding his office had not
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. - 689
his commands were immediately executed, and he
removed his camp a little nearer to the monastery,
and he put some of his forces into that of Magher
abeg, in which the English had been, whom Niall O'Neill. In a year after the death of the lord jus Garv took with him to relieve his people; it was tice, O’Neill also took the same fort from the queen’s on the festival-day of St. Michael precisely (29th people, and in taking it from them, he committed of September), the monastery was burned, and that slaughter among their men and officers, and the affair took place. O’Donnell carried on the siege as fortress remained in the possession of O’Neill from ter that manner against the English, reducing them that time till this, in which the new lord justice to a state of distress and difficulty, from the end of had come to When arrived the vicinity
September till towards the end of October, with
out any deed of note being performed between them
during that time, until news came to them of the
Spanish fleet, which had arrived in the south of On the first days that the lord justice encamped
Ireland to aid the Irish who were engaged in the War.
The lord justice of Ireland, lord Mountjoy, marched with an army, in the month of June, to proceed into Ulster, and his progress is not record ed until he arrived at Ballagh-an-Moyry; this place was always defended and guarded by O'Neill, and
great numbers of people had been often slain and
destroyed, and lamentable deaths took place among
the English and Irish, about that pass, between
O'Neill and the English, until the lord justice
got an opportunity and an advantage of him
(O’Neill), at that time, a thing which seldom hap
pened, so that the outskirts, and the very centre
of the pass, were under his controul on that oc casion. He (Mountjoy), encamped in an advan
August, after having left garrisons Portmore, of stone and lime, at a certain secure place on that Armagh, Machaire-na-Cranncha, Ballagh
had been raised by the lord justice of Ireland, performed for three four years before that time. ” namely, lord Borough, four years before that time, The earl Essex, who had been man power
Mountjoy's Expedition Ulster 1601. —In April, 1601, returned Dublin, and, the 23rd April, says Morrison,
“kept St. George's feast with solemn pomp, the captains bringing up his meat, and the colonels attending his person table. ” O'Neill, Mac Mahon, O'Hanlon, Donal Spainach Cavenagh, and O'Byrne, who had made their submission, “were invited and en
the lord deputy Mountjoy, according Morrison, was Drogheda,
and received the submission Torlogh Mac Henry O'Neill the
Fews; Evir Mac Colla Mac Mahon Farney, Eochy O'Hanlon,
and other chiefs. Captains Blaney and Bodley, with forces from
Mount Norris and Newry, according Morrison, attacked for tertained with plenty wine and all kindness. ” Mountjoy
tified island Loughrorcan, and having prepared their arrows with wild-fire, shot them across the water, by which means they set fire the houses the island, which was used magazine
the Irish, and contained great store butter, corn, meal, and
powder. They also burned the houses along the shore, and killed many people, amongst others, many churls (peasants), and call iachs (old women), and they ravaged the country. Mountjoy
having resolved make another expedition against O’Neill, marched from Dublin Drogheda, the 23rd May, thence Dundalk on the 25th, and on the 8th June he came the hill
Foghard, encamped near the Moyry Pass, and built fort there,
the Three-mile-water. From the camp Foghard, pub
lished the proclamation for the new coin, and having finished the fort Moyry, proceeded Carrickbane, near Newry, the 14th,
and it was on his march to put provision stores into that fort, after it had been raised, that the same lord justice came by an untimely death, through
that way, O’Neill’s people quitted the fort, and
left wide open their enemies and opponents, which was unusual thing with them till then.
that fort, he went reconnoitre, overlook, and
the country about him, and having the borders Benburb Tyrone),
take view
arrived
was met
try some the kerns O’Neill, with grim and stern countenances animosity, and dreadful fierce conflict ensued between them respectively, and immense numbers were slain that place, but, however, more the lord justice's people were slain than O’Neill's soldiers. The lord justice, notwithstanding the opposition encountered, returned back the camp, and, during the period of about month and half that he remained
the fort, none his forces went one mile beyond that into Tyrone, until returned back into the English Pale, and Dublin, the month
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690 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
and eminent service, and of prosperity and good sent to be imprisoned, as a traitor, to the Tower, fortune, on behalf of the queen of England, a man and every person who had share, counsel, part, or who had been engaged by the men of England as alliance with him in that traitorous affair, was ex a leader in making invasions and conquests in ecuted and quartered, and hung upon the gates foreign countries, and who had served for half a and portals of the town; the earl was beheaded on year in the name, and as representative of the so the 18th day of the month of February; captain vereign in Ireland, as we have before stated, began Lee, a gentleman who was advising the earl, and in the first month of this year to give reproach and who was aiding and counselling in committing disrespect to the sovereign, and to set aside the that act, was also put to death for the foremen crown. When that treachery was discovered by the tioned crime.
men of London, they rose up quickly, and well pre James, the son of Thomas Roe, son of James, pared, in opposition to the earl, so that he was dri son of John, son of the earl, who had been nomi
nated earl of Desmond on behalf of the Irish, as we have before stated, sent his brother John, the
and thence to Iveagh ; and sir Richard Morrison was sent with a numbers of the English were slain in this engagement. Morrison great force into Lecale, and having plundered the country, took says that Dr. Latwar, the lord deputy's chaplain, was mortally Downpatrick; Morrison says they made one of the Brady's priso wounded. Mountjoy built a new fort at the Blackwater, near the
ven and pursued from one place to another, through the streets of the town, and likewise outside of the town, so that he was obliged to go to Essex-House,
to protect himself; he had not been long in that
place, when he was forcibly compelled to submit of Edmond, son of Thomas, and Pierce de Lacy, and surrender himself prisoner, and lay down his to Ulster, to ask for relief and aid from the Irish arms to the queen's people; and he was afterwards of the North, when he became reduced and weak
son of Thomas Roe; Fitzmaurice of Kerry, i. e. Thomas, the son of Patrick, son of Thomas, son
old one which had been demolished by O'Neill, and he placed a garrison in it of 350 men, under captain Williams. With his usual barbarity, Mountjoy cut down and destroyed the crops and corn, and burned the country in all directions through which he passed, and he renewed his insolent proclanation that whoever brought O'Neill alive would get £2,000, and for his head receive #1,000 reward During the remainder of the month of July, he had various conflicts with O'Neill's forces, in which many were slain on both sides, and Mountjoy then retired towards Armagh, and on the 3rd of August encamped a little beyond the city to the north. O'Neill followed them closely, and, towards night advan ced from the woods to a hill, under which the English were en camped in a meadow; and Morrison says, the Irish advanced with loud cries, and sound of drums, and bag-pipes, and poured into the
camp about 3,000 shot. In this attack on the camp, many of Mountjoy's forces were killed, and several also of O’Neill's men, amongst whom was slain Pierce Lacy of Bruff, a very valiant commander for many years in Munster, in alliance with O’Neill, and the earl of Desmond. At this time Plunkett, lord Dunsany, who commanded a garrison of 550 horse and foot for the queen at Lisgannon, between Ballyhaise and Cootehill, in the county of Cavan, took a prey of 1600 cows from the Mac Mahons of Mo
naghan, who pursued them, recovered the cattle, and slew about 50 of the English forces, and took captain Esmond prisoner. On
three hours, on a fair green meadow, both sides being alternately repulsed, and the English often driven back to their colours. Morrison, as usual, makes light of the number of Mountjoy's forces that fell there; but, according to the Annals, immense
ner, and cut off his head. Mountjoy received the submission of Felim Mac Gennis, of Mac Cartan, and of Mac Rory of Kilwarlin,
but the chiefs, Art and Edmond Magennis, would not be received to the queen's protection without first doing some service. Having
left sir Richard Morrison, with 500 foot and 50 horse, at Down
patrick, Mountjoy marched towards Newry, and having heard
that O’Neill, with his forces, was near Armagh, and had his
creaghts, says Morrison, feeding some thousands of cows, the lord
deputy prepared his troops, and strengthened his garrisons at
Mount Norris, Newry, Armagh, &c. , and on the 23rd, proceeded
towards the fort of Blackwater, and passed the place where Mar
shal Bagnal's army was defeated, at the Yellow Ford, and he
viewed the battle-field for a long time with great attention. He
then returned, and left a garrison of 750 foot and 100 horse at the
Abbey of Armagh, under sir Henry Danvers, and, on his return to
Mount Norris, viewed the ford where general sir John Norris, a
few years before, had been mortally wounded in a battle with
O'Neill. It appears that Mountjoy's forces were at this time
fiercely attacked by the Irish, under O'Neill, and forced to retire
with much loss; and, on the 24th, Mountjoy arrived with his
forces at Newry, and went thence to Dundalk, where he received
the submission of the chiefs Art, Rory, and Glasny Magennis, and
Patrick Mac Mahon. On the 9th of July he proceeded to Newry, and encamped at Latenbur, beyond that town ; and on
the 13th he marched towards the Blackwater, where he made a
stand, as O'Neill, with his horse and foot, shewed themselves out
of a wood on the other side of the river, with the trumpets, drums,
and colours gained from the English, at the battle of the Yellow
Ford. The Irish poured some vollies of shot on Mountjoy's
forces, which was answered by their cannon, and sir William Go
dolphin was sent forward to the attack with troops of horse; but
the Irish, during the entire night, continued pouring in their shot.
On the 16th Mountjoy advanced, with a regiment of Irish under
sir Christopher St. Lawrence, and passing the Blackwater, pro Kinsale. Mountjoy then proceeded to Clonmel, and thence to ceeded towards Benburb, where there was an old castle of the Cork, to concert measures with Carew against the Spaniards. O'Neills. Here they were attacked by O'Neill's forces, and Mor According to Morrison and others, Mountjoy had 3,000 horse and rison says, they had a hot and long skirmish, which continued
the 7th of August, Mountjoy withdrew towards Newry, and en camped at Mount Norris, where he remained till the 13th, and then removed and encamped within three miles of Armagh ; from thence he came back to Mount Norris, and marched near Newry on the 16th, and remained at Newry till the 25th, he then returned to the Pale, and, on the 29th, arrived at Trim where he remained some time, and went from thence to Kilkenny, where he arrived on the 13th of September, and on the 23rd, he and the earl of Or mond received intelligence of the landing of the Spanish fleet at
foot in this expedition against O'Neill, besides detachments from the different garrisons in Ulster; but he was forced to retire with out bringing O'Neill under subjection, and lost at least 1000 menin the various conflicts in this campaign.
ened in the allied war he was carrying on against
The young earl Desmond, namely, James, the son Gerald, son James, son John, whom we
August precisely; when they appeared before the
council of England, the Tower was by order ap pointed as their residence, for living and sleeping
in it from that forth, till the time of their death, or during their lives, according to the will of God and of their sovereign (see note p. 669).
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 691
the English, and he remained himself, with a small
party along with him, concealing and hiding him
self among his faithful friends, in lonely cold huts,
and in caves of the earth; he continued for some
time after that manner, until on one occasion the
White Knight, namely, Edmond, the son of John,
received private information that James was in a
certain cave in the vicinity of his country, so that
what he did was, to make an incursion on his re
lative, by kindred and pedigree, and his lord, while
engaged in treason for some years before that, re
specting the small fragment of his country in
which he was then, for he had not in his possession
of Munster but that cave, in which he happened to
be on that occasion. James was taken into custody
by the knight, on account of that, and he took
him with him to the president at Cork, without
asking pardon or protection for him, and James,
having been delivered into the hands of the presi
dent, he was carefully guarded till the month of
July precisely. It was in the same month that Flo Thomas, son Richard, remained along with rence, the son of Donogh Mac Carthy, commonly
called Mac Carthy More at that time, came to the
president at Cork, and as soon as he arrived in the
town, he was taken prisoner for the queen, and mas this year, into the province Leinster, and Florence began to proclaim aloud, without reserve,
that they were seizing him in opposition to the
word and protection of the queen; but that was
of no avail to him, for he and James, the son of booty,
Thomas, were sent to England in the month of the county Kildare, the county Hy Failge
The office of governor was held by the earl of been formerly nominated lord, and Theobald
Thomond, namely, Donogh, the son of Conor O’Brien, in the county of Clare, from the day on which the governor of the province of Connaught,
Conyers Clifford, had been slain O'Donnell, on the Curlew mountain; session was held by him for fifteen days the monastery Ennis, about the festival St. Bridget this year, and sixteen men were hanged by him that session. The same earl, together with his brother Donal, went England
the month March Donal returned about Lammas, and the earl remained there after him.
the Ships, the son Richard the Iron, who had been usually acting behalf the queen, were
peaceable and very amicable each other, since the time O’Donnell had established alliance and
friendship between them, until the first month the spring this year; commotion war, and
revival enmity arose between them, and The obald the Ships was the instigator exciting
the discord and renewing the anger, and the re membrance the animosity which arose between them, that the tribe Ulick Burke joined
mentioned have come from England earl the harvest the foregoing year, went Eng
land the spring this year, and remained there until the first month winter, when died and were not that his father had fallen while inop position the queen, and for the manner which his people and faithful followers had been reduced
by the English, the two provinces Munster would have been one wave sorrow, lamentation, af fliction, and mourning, for that young man; was the only rightful heir the stock the true line age, and the last remnant the pure race the Grecian (or noble), descent the Geraldines; his death was the more lamented, that left no heir, either son brother his own, his family, appointed his successor, except few,
and these few were acting against the laws sovereign.
the
Captain Tyrrell, namely, Richard, the son
O'Neill during the foregoing part this year, and
that captain, having got some retained kerns from O’Neill, proceeded with them, about the Lam
impossible recount, relate, enu the captain effected preys, slaughters,
would
merate taking
Offaly, the King's county), and the coun Tipperary, from Lammas (August), the
first month the following winter.
The Lower Burkes, namely, Mac William Burke,
Theobald, the son Walter Ciotach, who was alliance with O’Donnell, and whom had
towns, and people, plunder and
the county Ceithearlach (Carlow),
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692 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
one alliance against Mac William, namely, Theo their gentlemen, captains, and assistants every bald, the son of Walter, and they deposed and stone and wooden building the town they con
veyed from their ships the town their supplies provisions, drink, ordnance, powder, lead, and
other necessaries which they had with them, vernment of the country, by the tribe of Ulick, and they sent away their shipping back their and by Theobald ofthe Ships, namely, Richard, country; they planted their great guns and their the son of Rickard, i. e. Deamhan-Corrain, and he engines shooting and defence, every place by
expelled him from his patrimony, so that he was obliged to go to O’Donnell, and another Mac
William was appointed to succeed him in the go
was commonly called the son of Deamhan-an-Chor which they considered their enemies might attack rain. When Mac William, i. e. Theobald, the son them; they also appointed sentinels and guards
of Walter, went to O’Donnell, he complained to succession, be relieved alternate hours, had him of his troubles and oppression, and the man been their constant practice before their arrival ner in which he was expelled from his country; that place, for they were perfectly sure that the O’Donnell was grieved at that circumstance, but,
however, he could not relieve him immediately,
for he and his forces were engaged besieging
and watching the English who had come his
country, that could not march into any dis (Rincorran castle), exactly the estate Barry
lord justice would come attack them, with the
queen’s army, when the news should reach him. There was another castle on the eastern side of the
harbour Kinsale, which was called Rinn-Corrain
tant territory, relieve either friend relative, account the opposition carried against him his own country. Mac William remained
with him from the first month Spring the fol
lowing Michaelmas, when O’Donnell sent with him many forces could, visit his patrimony
Mac William's country; when arrived the very centre the country, the Mac William who had been appointed the tribe Ulick Burke, and Theobald, the son Richard the Iron,
force, and opposition him, met him the
way which had proceeded, and fierce con Connaught, came with their forces the same
their select men into that castle,
like manner. When the lord justice
ceived intelligence these affairs,
until he arrived Kinsale, with all the forces could muster, all those who were obedient the queen Ireland; thither came the president
the two provinces Munster, with the forces Munster along with him; the earl Clanrickard,
and every leader force body troops that
place; thither also came the Lagenians and Me thians, they had been commanded the lord justice, for the forementioned purpose. After they
the son Rickard Burke, was defeated, and he
himself was slain that engagement, that was camp before Kinsale, from which they made
that manner his government terminated. attack Rincorran, and they did not allow them Spanish fleet arrived the south Ireland, tranqulility rest, sleep repose, for long time,
flict ensued between them, and each them began
reproach the other with their old grudges, and their recent animosities, until length Richard,
and Don John Agola (Don John, Juan Aguila, Aquila), was the name the leader who was their general; the place where they entered port was the harbour Kinsale, the mouth
the blue pool Banndan (the river Bandon), the border Courcy's country, the one side,
and Kinel Aodha, viz. , Barry Oge's estate the other (the baronies Courcy’s and Kinnalea,
while they carried severe conflicts and valorous assaults against each other, until the guards, after enduring all the dangers they encountered, laid
down their arms, and surrendered the lord jus tice, leaving behind them their ammunition and ordnance; the lord justice sent those distri buted among the great towns Munster, until should see how his warfare with the other party
Cork). On their arrival Kinsale, they took them, who were Kinsale, would terminate; under their controul the fortifying, protection, de was that occasion that young Carbry, the son fence and maintenance the town, from the in Carbry Mac Egan, who was standard-bearer habitants who dwelt ’till then; they quartered the son the earl Ormond, was slain. The lord
Oge, Kinnalea, and the Spaniards sent party
was obedient the command the lord justice
assembled one place, they pitched and formed
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their enemies from firing out of and they would have slain more were not for the earl of Clan
rickard, for was he, and those that happened along with him, that compelled the Spaniards
return back Kinsale. One hour’s cessation, either day night, did not pass between these two camps, that blood was not shed either side, from the first day the lord justice pitched his camp before Kinsale, until they separated, hereafter stated.
When O’Neill, O’Donnell, and the Irish
Leth-Cuinn general, received intelligence
that Spanish fleet, the resolution they came to, with
one accord and disposition, although their chiefs
and nobles had not assembled together determine on their resolutions, conclude their counsels,
was, that each lord country them should leave protection and guard over his territory and
fair lands, and with his arms and forces, with out delay stopping, succour and aid the Spaniards who had come their invitation and request, for was anguish heart and tor ment mind them that they should remain the difficulty and predicament which they were placed their enemies, without relieving them
nearly twenty days the hill Drom Saileach, Ikerrin, waiting for O’Neill, who was marchingslow
after him. O’Donnell’s people continued devasta ting and plundering the country about them, during
the time they remained that place, that they stood need nothing their camp that force could desire, the space they remained there. When the lord justice Ireland received intelli gence that O’Donnell was marching towards them,
sent the president the two provinces Mum
ster, namely, sir George Carew, with four thousand
soldiers along with him, for the purpose meet ing oppose him, order prevent the march which was resolved, and intercept him the common way. When O’Donnell learned that
the president, with his large army, had arrived the vicinity Cashel, proceeded with his forces westward from Ikerrin, along Upper Ormond,
Owney, and the monastery Owney, Clanwilliam, on the borders the Shannon, the
gates Limerick, and south-westward until they arrived, without stopping halting, by day
night, beyond the plain into Hy-Conaill-Gabhra (the baronies Conello, Limerick). When the president discovered that O’Donnell had passed
REIGN OF ELIZABETH.
they could. O’Donnell was the first who pre pared proceed that expedition, and having left guards protect his cattle and flocks, and
people the county Sligo, out the
with many ships and vessels, men, good arms and
provision stores, to succour and aid the sovereign's
people in Ireland. The earl, with the fleet, having namely, O’Rourke, Bryan Oge, the son arrived at the harbour of Kinsale, they landed at Bryan; the sons John Burke; Mac Dermott the side of the port on which the lord justice’s Moylurg; the O'Conors Roe O'Kelly, and the people were, and four thousand men was the num chiefs who were expelled from Munster, and were ber under the command of the earl of Thomond, with him during the foregoing part this year, of that army. Some assert that, were it not for namely, Fitzmaurice Kerry, i. e. Thomas, the the great valour and courage maintained by the son Patrick; the Knight the Glynn, namely, lord justice, before the arrival of the earl of Tho Edmond, the son Thomas; Teige Caoch, the mond and these forces, the camp would have son Torlogh Mac Mahon (of Clare), and Dermod been vacated, and that the English would disperse Maol, the son Donogh Mac Carthy. These and return to their great towns; the earl of Tho forces proceeded through the county Roscom mond encamped apart for himself, at the nearest mon, along the borders the county Galway, angle of the lord justice’s camp to Kinsale. At through Siol Anmcha, and the Shannon; they that time the Spaniards made a sally by night, on were expeditiously conveyed across the Shannon
a quarter of the lord justice's camp, and having Ath Croch (Shannon harbour); from thence they slain great numbers, they broke the stones and proceeded Delvin Mac Coghlan, Farkall (in supporters (the platform) of the great gun of the King's county), the borders Slieve Bloom, and queen’s ordnance, in order that they might prevent into Ikerrin Tipperary). O’Donnell remained
justice and his forces, and the Spaniards of Kinsale, continued shooting and firing at each other, during
the first month of winter, when the queen and the council recommended the earl of Thomond to come
beginning winter from Ballymote. The follow ing were some the chiefs who accompanied him,
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694 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
him into the fastnesses of the country, he chief district, were along with O’Neill and considered it useless to pursue him, and returned O'Donnell, that place; great was the enthu back with his forces to the lord justice. Fitzmau siasm and courage, bravery, and valour, the rice was permitted by O’Donnell on that occasion people who were there; and there was not to proceed along with a party of the force to visit quarter border, throughout the five provinces and reconnoitre Clanmaurice (in Kerry); while Ireland, that these, some party them, did these were traversing the territory, they got an ad not spread abhorrence and hatred, dread and
vantage of some of the castles of the country, and they took possession of them ; the names of those were Lixnaw, Caislean-Gearr of Ardfert, and Baile I-Chaola, and they put guards into those castles;
it was on the same occasion that O'Conor Kerry,
namely, John, the son of Conor O'Conor, took his
own castle, namely, Carrigafoyle, which had been
in the possession of the English for more than a
year before that time, and he himself, with the peo
ple of his castle, joined in alliance with O’Donnell.
O’Donnell remained nearly a week in these dis
tricts of Hy-Conaill-Gabhra, preying, devastating,
plundering, and spoiling the country of every per
son in his vicinity, who had part or alliance with
the English. O’Donnell after that proceeded over
the heights of Sliabh-Luachra (Slieve Lougher and valiantly, with one disposition and one accord, mountain, in the barony of Trughenackmy, county
of Kerry), into Clan Amhlaoibh (Clanawley, in the
barony of Duhallow, county of Cork), to Muskerry
and to Bandon, in the Carberries. All the Irish of the English into great difficulties, for they did not Munster came to him at that place, except Mac suffer hay, corn, water, straw fuel, con
Carthy Riavach, i. e. Donal, the son of Cormac-na Haoine, and Cormac, the son of Dermod, son of
Teige, lord of Muskerry, and these Irish pro
mised they would alliance and union with him
from that forth. As O’Neill, namely Hugh, the
son Ferdorcha, son Con Bacach, departed
from Tyrone week after Samhain (that week
after the 31st October), go the relief the
forementioned Spaniards; after had crossed ties the English, just the English were distress the Boyne, began prey and burn the territory the Irish. The leaders Tirconnell and
Bregia and Meath; afterwards proceeded Tyrone begantodeliberatein council respectingthat through Westmeath and Ormond, across the Suir proposal, and they disagreed and were opposition
westward, and his further progress not recorded
until arrived Bandon, where O’Donnell was
then, and John, the son Thomas Roe, son the
earl (of Desmond), was along with O’Neill that difficulty which they were placed, until they expedition. When the Irish chiefs, with their should perish famine, and from want the
one place, they encamped within the lord justice's camp, the
Bel-Guala, Kinnalea. Many leader force and troop, lord territory, and
necessaries they stood people, and likewise perished. was
O’Donnell,
forces, arrived short distance
need some their their horses, had already
north side,
anguish heart and shame listen the complaint and the
terror amongst the English and Irish who were fighting against them ’till that time; frequent and
numerous were their battles, their exploits, their preys, their conflicts, their slaughters, and their
feats arms, against their enemies, various ter ritories, ’till that very hour; there was no power that they did not overcome, nor host great they were not able encounter, while the Trinity and prosperity aided them, and whilst they did the will
their Lord God, and fulfilled his command ments and testament; ample for giving battle and full engagement against their enemies, other occasions, was the number the forces which were that camp, were they united aiding
each other, had God granted them fight bravely
behalf their religion and their country,
the difficult predicament which their enemies were reduced that occasion. The Irish brought
veyed the lord justice’s camp; they continued for some time that manner, watching each other, until Don John, the general the Spaniards, sent
written dispatch privately the Irish, requesting
them make attack certain quarter the lord justice's camp some night, and that
himself would attack the other part the same night, for they were reduced great difficul
for some time determining unanimous reso lution, for was O'Neill’s advice not attack them immediately, but maintain against them the
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REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 695
predicament of the Spaniards, without relieving them from the difficulty in which they were, even
should his death, or slaying or the loss of his peo ple be the result of it; so that the resolution they
at length came to was, to attack the lord justice’s camp, as they were requested. When the parti
cular night on which they resolved to make that attack came on, the Irish bravely and courageously
took up their arms of battle and conflict, and were
ready for the march; their leaders disputed with O’Donnell came the side O’Neill’s people, each other which party should be first in com after they had been defeated, and began ex mencing the attack of that night, and they thus hort those who were retreating stand maintain proceeded in three powerful columns of battle, and the battle along with his own people, until his ut in three large and numerous bodies of forces, terance and voice failed him, the excess shoulder to shoulder, and elbow to elbow, outside
of the borders of their camp. O'Neill and the Ty
ronians, together with those the Orgiellians
(the Mac Mahons, Maguires, and others, Mo
naghan and Fermanagh), and the Iveachians
Ulidia (Magennises, and others, the county
Down), were separate powerful column; tom with their race till then but, however, all he O’Donnell and the Tirconnallians, together with could do was avail him, for the first
for the purpose falling into their order and ranks, and wait for O’Donnell, and the other party, who had mistaken their way, we have be fore stated. When the lord justice saw that affair,
sent forth powerful active troops attack them, who encountered O'Neill's people, that they continued killing and slaying them, subduing and
reducing them, until five six colours were taken
from them, and many their men were slain.
speaking and loud calls that addressed
general, entreating his brave clans stand by him and fight against their enemies; also told them that was shame and treachery for them have acted that unusual manner, viz. , turn their backs their enemies, such was never the cus
his chieftains, and the Conacians general, were another column; and such were there the
force was defeated, was every other party succession, but, notwithstanding that they were defeated, the number slain them was not im mense, because the pursuers were fewer compared with those who were before them. The displea
gentlemen Munster, Leinster, and the men
Meath, together with their forces, those
them who rose the war alliance the Irish, and
such were expelled into Ulster the foregoing sure God, and misfortune, were evident against part this year, marched the third column, va the pure Gadelians Fodla (Ireland), that oc liantly, with steady pace, without intermixing casion, for oftener had they defeated, with small
with the other forces. Having marched outside the camp that order, the forces mistook the way, and strayed their advance account the great darkness the night, that their guides did not succeed arriving the appointed place before the lord justice’s camp until day-light
the morrow. Some assert that certain person
the Irish sent notice and forewarning the lord justice that the Irish and Spaniards were make attack him that night, that was there fore the lord justice and the queen's forces were
posted their dangerous passes, and their advan
tageous positions, defend their camp against
their enemies. When the darkness the night diminished, and the light day was clear
general. was then O'Neill’s men happened
have arrived the vicinity the lord justice’s
people, without the Irish being actually aware and they were unprepared they avoided them,
party those, many hundreds the English, than turned their backs their enemies, the field battle and the pass danger, every place they encountered till that day. Great and immense was their loss that place, though small was the num ber slain there, for the chivalry and bravery, pros perity and affluence, nobleness and valour, renown and pre-eminence, hospitality and generosity, he roism and defence, piety and pure religion the Islandof the Gael, were lost that conflict. O’Neill and O’Donnell, with their Irish forces, returned back westward Inis-Eoganain (Innishannon,
between Kinsale and Bandon), that night. Alas! was not the condition they were that night, they thought they would have returned from
that expedition, for much blame and recrimination, regret and sadness, sorrow and anguish, prevailed throughout their camp every quarter, and they could not become calmed, much consoled;
it,
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696 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1601.
hasty, immature, and precipitate were their coun These nobles left a party of their neighbouring allies sels after they assembled together, so that the re in Munster, to spoil it in their absence, namely, cap solution they at length came to was, that O’Neill, and tain Tyrrell, with the other sons of John Burke, Rory, the brotherof O’Donnell, with their command together with some other gentlemen; these noble ers and the chiefs of Leth-Cuinn in general, should | Gadelians, namely O'Neill and O’Donnell, ordered
return back to their countries, to protect their terri tories and lands against foreign invaders, and that O'Donnell, namely Hugh Roe, Redmond, the son of John Burke, and captain Hugh Mus (Mostian), the son of Robert, should go to Spain to complain of their troubles, and difficulties to the king of Spain.
3. Landing of the Spaniards, Siege and Battle of Kinsale. — An account of these events is given in the work of Fynes Morri son, who was Secretary to the lord deputy Mountjoy, and also in the Pacata Hibernia of sir George Carew, who was President of Munster, and partly in Mac Geoghegan's Ireland, from O'Sullivan Beare and others; and in Cox's Hibernia Anglicana, from which works the following particulars have been collected. King Philip
III. , of Spain, having resolved to send succours to O'Neill, O'Don nell, the earl of Desmond, and Florence Mac Carthy, to carry on the war against the English, assembled for that purpose some forces under the command of Don Juan del Aguila, or de Aquila, who had served some time against the French and English in Bretagne, but though he was a cominander of some experience, he had not much reputation. O'Connor, however, in his Military Memoirs of the Irish Brigades, unjustly condemns Don Juan, for he appears to have been a brave man, though, perhaps, not pos sessed of much military abilities, besides he was rather vain and insolent towards his Irish allies. The fleet intended to convey the Spaniards to Ireland, was in the mean time sent, under the admiral Don Diego de Brochero, to the island of Terceira, in the Azores, to protect the Spanish galleons coming from America, against the English. This circumstance retarded the expedition, and much diminished the forces; on the return of the fleet from Terceira, it set sail from the Tagus for Ireland, and consisted of 45 vessels, most of them small, 17 of which carried gums,and only 6 were of the large class called galleons, 3 of which were named the St. Paul, the St. Peter, and the St. Andrew. The forces were mostly composed of old soldiers from the garrisons in Italy, with men from the Terceirean islands, and 1,500 Biscayan sailors. Shortly after the fleet had got into the open sea, it was dispersed by a storin, and 7 of the ships, carrying the artillery, warlike stores, and provisions, under the vice-admiral Don Pedro de Zu biar, were forced to take shelter in the harbour of Corunna, which the English writers called the Groyne. The remainder of the fleet, according to some accounts, 35 ships, landed at the harbour of Kinsale, on the 23rd of September, 1601, with about 3500 men, though the forces originally destined for Ireland amounted to 6,000. It appears from Morrison that de Aquila, after landing his forces, sent all his ships back to Spain, except 12, which he kept in the harbour of Kinsale. Carew gives, in the Pacata, the names of all the Spanish captains and commanders, and says they marched to Kinsale with 25 colours. As soon as the Spaniards landed, cap tain Saxeys, the English commander, evacuated Kinsale, and
that their command and controul should be given to O'Sullivan Beare, i. e. Donal, the son of Donal, son of Dermod, for he was the best chief commander
of his party in Munster at that time, in wisdom and valour. It was on the 3rd day of the month of Ja nuary that the Irish were defeated in that battle. ”
any molestation in body or goods, and as much as shall remain, likewise, without any hurt. ” The Spaniards brought a great
quantity of arms for the use of the Irish who would join them, and also 1,600 saddles, expecting, as they were promised, to be fur
nished with horses by the Irish. Don Juan despatched messengers with letters to O'Neill and O'Donnell, advising them of his arri
val, and Mathew de Oviedo, who had come to Donegal to O'Don nell the year before, and had been appointed by the Pope arch
bishop of Dublin, came with the Spaniards to Kinsale and, on the 12th of October, wrote to O'Neill and O'Donnell the following letter, which is given in the Pacata:
withdrew his garrison to Cork. Kinsale is a seaport, situated that hath demolished all the temporalities of this flourishing
near the mouth of the river Bandon, and was then a strong, stone
built town, well securedby nature and art. When the Spaniards
approached Kinsale, the townsmen set open their gates, and
permitted them quietly to enter; the Sovereign, says Carew, “with that is replenished with all good things, being stirred with
his white rod in his hand, going to billet them in several houses, more ready than if they had been the queen's forces. ” Don Juan issued a proclamation to the following effect:
“We, Don Juan de Aquila, general of the army to Philip, king of Spain, by these presents do promise that the inhabitants of the town of Kinsale shall receive no injury from any of our retinue, but rather shall be used as our brethren and friends, and that it shall be lawful for any of the inhabitants that list, to transport, without
their cries, which pierce the heavens, and have reached the ears of the Pope, and of our king Philip. ”
Many of the Munster chiefs joined the English, amongst others Cormac Mac Carthy, lord of Muskerry, while others came to assist the Spaniards at Kinsale, of whom the principal man was the valiant Donal O'Sullivan Beare, aided by Donogh and Fineen O'Driscoll; John O'Connor Kerry, with Fitzgerald, knight of Kerry, Donal Mac Carthy, son of the earl of Clancare, and some
“Pervenimus in Kinsale, cum classe et exercitu Regis nostri Philippi; expectamus vestras excellentias qualibet hora, veniant ergo quam velociter potuerint, portantes equos, quibus maxime in digemus, et jam alia via scripsimus;
“Excellentissimis Dominis, “Don O’Neill et O’Donnell. ”
“FRATER MATHE Us, “Archiepiscopus Dubliniensis.
“We have come to Kinsale with the fleet and army of our king Philip ; we expect your excellencies any hour you please ; ye will therefore come as quickly as ye can, bringing horses, of which we stand in great need ; we have already written by another way. I
say no more.
Farewell.
“Brother MATH Ew,
“To the most excellent lords,
“ Don O'Neill and O’Donnell. ”
Mountjoy having, at this time, published a proclamation censuring the Spaniards for their invasion of Ireland, was answered in a ma
nifesto published by Don Juan, which is given in the Pacata as translated from the Latin, and commences thus: “ Don Juan de Aquilia, general of the war, and the Catholic king of Spain's chief commander in God's war which is made in Ireland for the defence
of the faith,” &c. In it are the following passages in answer to Mountjoy: “O immortal God! who doth not wonder at your bit ter and inexpressible cruelty, and your boldness shewed in these words; for who is it that doth not know the great cruelty which you English have exercised, and cease not to exercise, towards the miserable Irish. You, I say, go about to take from their souls the Catholic faith, which their fathers held, in which consists eternal life; truly you are more cruel than bears and lions. Who is it
kingdom except the English? Look upon this and be ashamed; whereas on the other side we, commiserating the condition of the Catholics here, have left our most sweet and happy country Spain,
non dico plura: valete.
“Archbishop
of Dublin.
REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 697
A. D. 1602. great anger, anxiety, and anguish of mind, and he
After the Irish, and the small party of the could not repose or rest for the space of three days Spaniards who were along with them at that time, and three nights afterwards, so that he despaired of the king of Spain's people had been defeated of relief, and the resolution he came to, at the end by the English, in the battle of Kinsale, on the 3rd of that time, through the recommendation of
day of the month of January, as has been already stated, O’Donnell, i. e. Hugh Roe, was seized with
the Mac Carthys Carberry, the adherents Florence Mac Carthy, and some the O’Mahonys and O’Donovans Carberry;
but the Irish Munster made only feeble efforts, being broken down after Carew had taken the earl of Desmond and Florence
Mac Carthy, and sent them prisoners the Tower London. The
lord deputy Mountjoy was Kilkenny when the Spaniards
landed, on which proceeded Clonmel, and thence Cork,
concert measures with sir George Carew, president Munster, and &c. The English actively continued the siege during the month collect the English forces. On the 29th September, Mountjoy, November, the Spaniards making several sallies them, and accompanied Carew, with troop horse, went view Kin severe skirmishes took place, which great numbers were slain sale, and the Spanish fleet, and fix place for their camp. both sides; the English artillery for long time battered the About the 10th October the English had collected all their fortress Castle-ni-park, and the walls Kinsale, having about forces Munster Cork, under Mountjoy, Carew, sir Benjamin 20 pieces artillery, but the Spaniards defended the town with
Mountjoy came with his forces from Cork, within five miles Kinsale, place called Owney Buoy, and the 17th the army
men, horse and foot, under his own command, asisted sir Char les Wilmot and sir Christopher St. Lawrence. About the middle November these forces advanced Ardmaile, near Cashel,
advanced and encamped within half-a-mile the town, under the
hill Knock-Robin, and commenced the siege, but afterwards re attack O’Donnell, who was that time encamped near Holycross.
moved their camp hill called the Spittle, north the town.
The Spaniards were fortified Kinsale, and also put garrisons
two forts castles the entrance of the harbour, that on the
right being called Rincorran, and the one the left Castle-ni defiles, the Abbey Owney, Abington, through O'Ryan's park. The forces Mountjoy, amounting this time about country, and sharp frost having set the time, crossed the
7,000 men, commanded various colonels, sir Richard Wing field, sir John Barkley, sir William Godolphin, sir Arthur Savage,
sir Oliver St. John, sir Richard Percy, lord Audley, &c. , with cap tains Blaney, Bodley, Taaffe, &c. , incessantly continued the siege against the Spaniards, who very valiantly made four five sallies
sorties the English, which great numbers were slain on both sides. The artillery the English, cannons and culverins, constantly battered the castle Rincorran, which length sur rendered, the 1st November, and about 86 the Spaniards, with multitude Irish churls, says Morrison, and many women and children, were made prisoners, but all the swordsmen escaped
Slieve Felim mountains, the borders Tipperary and Limerick, towards the Shannon, and did not halt until arrived Croom.
The boggy mountains would have been impassable, were not for the frost that fortunately set in, and O'Donnell, with his hardy soldiers, performed this astonishing march 32 Irish miles, more than 40 English miles, twenty-four hours, which, Carew says, “was the greatest march with carriage that hath beenheard of. ” Carew advanced rapidly pursuit the Irish Abington, but he there learned that O'Donnell was Croom, which Ca rew proceeded Kilmallock, but says his labour was lost, and then returned Kinsale. O'Donnell next marched into Kerry,
the town. The English forces Kinsale, the 27th Octo and thence the county Cork, and December joined the
ber, 1601, according Morrison, amounted 6,900 foot, and 611 horse, making 7,511 men. On the 10th November Donogh O'Brien, earl Thomond, came from England with ships, and 1,000 men, but the Annals say had 4,000, which included other forces that came the same time, for, the 11th, 2,000 foot and 100 horse, under sir Anthony Cook, landed Waterford, accord ing Cox and Morrison, and the 12th admirals Levison and Preston arrived Cork with ships war, from England, and
Spaniards Castlehaven.
The siege Kinsale was still carried incessantly, and Castle
ni-park was taken the 20th November; the Spaniards, usual, made several sallies, and many were slain both sides. On the 28th the English sent Trumpet summon the town sur render, but was not suffered enter, and got his answer the gate, the Spaniards saying that they held the town, first for Christ, and next for the king Spain, and would defend against all
2,000 men. The fleets under these admirals, and the earl Tho enemies. The English the 30th, having made breach the
mond, brought artillery, arms, ammunition, provisions, and other
supplies. The forces the earl Thomond came Castlehaven, and thence Kinsale, and those Levison, Preston, and Cook,
walls, resolved the 1st December, says Morrison, “to give the Spaniard Bravado,” and for this purpose 2,000 foot were se lected, under their chief commanders, and having advanced, had severe skirmish with the Spaniards, who were lodged the trenches outside, near the walls. this conflict one the Spa nish captains, named Don Pedro Morijon, displayed amazing bra very, and having walked across the breach animating his men, sword hand, sir Richard Wingfield caused many great and small shot fired him, and offered reward £20 whoever should hit him, but though many balls beat the dirt and stones
were brought from Cork and Waterford Kinsale, all act
against the Spaniards. According Morrison, the army Kin
sale, on the 20th November, amounted 11,800 foot, and 857
horse, thus making all 12,657 men, and O'Conor says, his
Military Memoirs, the English had 15,000 men Kinsale. —Mor
rison, vol. pp. 344, 362, 364, and vol. pp. The foot
forces, under Mountjoy and Carew, were distributed into regi
ments, and commanded by colonels. Mountjoy had 1,400 men, his face and about his ears, yet constantly stood his ground,
commanded his lieutenant sir Benjamin Berry, and Carew had 1,100 men; Richard Burke, earl Clanrickard, had 1000; the earl Thomond, 1,000; sir Charles Wilmot, 1,000; shrOliver St.
without receiving any hurt, the end the engagement, which
continued hour, and the English then withdrew their forces, after great numbers had been killed and wounded each side.
O'Neill, although it was with reluctance he ad vised him to was depart from Ireland, and
John, 1,050; sir Christopher St. Lawrence, 1,050; sir Richard
Morrison, 1,100; sir Richard Percy, 950, and lord Audley 900.
The cavalry was commanded the marshal sir Richard Wingfield,
sir John Barkeley, sir Oliver Lambert, sir Garrett Moore, the earl Kildare, sir Edward Herbert, sir Henry Poer, sir William Go
dolphin, sir William Fortescue, sir Theobald Dillon, sir Thomas Burke, and captains Bodley, Bostock, Esmond, Rotheram, Roe,
Berry, &c. , and the forces the Pale, Leinster and Meath, un
der the marshal sir Richard Wingfield, with those from Athlone
and the frontiers Connaught, under sir John Barkley, serjeant
major the army, and those from Armagh, and other garrisons
the North, under sir Henry Danvers. On the 16th October was sent intercept him Tipperary, with force about 5000
great valour, though they had only three four cannons, the rest their guns being board the ships driven storm Corunna.
the mean time O'Donnell, having set out his march Munster, about the beginning November, the president Carew
O'Donnell, haste relieve the Spaniards, did not wait en counter Carew's forces, and having caused fires lighted his camp deceive the enemy, marched onward before day the
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698 ANNALS OF THE FOUR MASTERS, A. D. 1602. –-s— –
go to Spain to king Philip III. , to request more person relieve him, and likewise the most dis forces and succours from him, for he was of opi posed aid those who fought behalf the
nion that the king of Spain was the most likely
The English having resolved to erect an earthen fort or rath on the west side of the town, in which they would lodge foot forces to second their artillery, captain Bodly, the Trench-master, captain Blaney, marshal Wingfield, and Mountjoy himself, having en
trenched their forces on the hill, began to cast up the fort during
the night, while the Spaniards, from their trenches, fired hotly
during the night on the men, guarding the pioneers, and on the
following day, the 2nd of December, the Spaniards poured in their
small shot; but the English finished the fort, after many had been
killed and wounded on both sides. On the night of the 3rd the
trenches where the cannon was planted, on the east side of the
town, were manned with Mountjoy's guards, under captain Blount,
with the companies of sir Thomas Burke, sir Benjamin Berry, and
captains Rotheran and Harvey; and the fort newly erected on
the west side, near the town, between the two camps, in one of
which, called the great camp, Mountjoy and the earl of Clanrick
ard were lodged, and the earl of Thomond in the other, was man
ned by the forces under captains Flower, Spencer, Dillon, Clare,
Boise, Masterson, &c. , with those of sir Arthur Savage, sir John the fire, and roar artillery, alternating with flashes lightning,
Bearehaven. The English admiral, sir Richard Levison, was sent the Pacata, were 6000 foot and 500 horse, with about 300 the with six ships from Kinsale to attack the Spaniards at Castlehaven, Spaniards from Castlehaven under Don Alonzo del Campo, and where he arrived on the morning of the 6th of December, and had O'Sullivan Beare. The English forces Kinsale before stated,
a sharp action with the Spanish ships, and the forces in the castle. Morrison, as usual, claims the victory for the English ; but it ap
appears they had the worst of and Levison returned Kinsale the next day; this engagement continued part two days, and the English lost about 300 men, though Mac Geoghegan says 575
the English forces were slain. Scottish ship commanded by one David High, Leith, was engaged by the Spaniards Co
runna, but was separated by storm from those which arrived Castlehaven, and came Kinsale; the Scotch captain, instead conveying the Spaniards their own countrymen, betrayed and delivered them into the hands the English. This ship contained 25 ton bread, and butts wine, and there were about 85 Spaniards board, who were sent prisoners England. The siege Kinsale was still actively continued, and Morrison men tions curious incident which occurred this time, that Don Juan Aquila sent challenge lord Mountjoy, that the ques tion between England and Spain should decided between then
according Morrison, amounted 12,600 men, the latter end November; but making allowance for those killed and wounded
since that time, the siege, who died disease, they had least 10,000 men the battle Kinsale, though Morrison, with his usual veracity, make them only 6,600, and says that only about 2000 them were engaged this battle, which statement most glaring falsehood. The Irish army was encamped the 21st, north Kinsale, about mile from the English camp.
O'Neill and O'Donnell were advised Aquila make attack night the English camp, and that and his Spaniards
would sally out from Kinsale, and assault them simultaneously the other side. appears O'Neill was averse this plan, and gave his advice not come engagement, but hem the English, and cut off their supplies, and thus reduce them, famine and disease, which had already set amongst them but O'Donnell was contrary opinion, and considered himself bound
honor ineet the wishes the Spaniards, and was resolved
Roman Catholic religion, and moreover, ac
single combat, but the offer Mountjoy, who absurdly the Romanists were forbidden
the valiant Spaniard was declin alleged, one his reasons, that
the council Trent from fight ing single combat, and that Don Juan had therefore right
challenge him. Mountjoy appears have had great taste for single combats, and and Carew were far more expert attempts
get their opponents betrayed when Mountjoy offered reward head O'Neill; and Carew,
assassinated, as, for instance, one thousand pounds for the
large bribes, got the earl Desmond and Florence Mac Carthy betrayed into his hands.
About the 7th December, O'Donnell's forces joined the Spaniards Castlehaven, and news arrived the 8th, says Morrison, that
O'Neill was advancing towards Kinsale, which the English more strongly fortified their camp. The siege was constantly continued during the month December, amidst violent storms
wind and rain; and many nights there was terrific thunder and lightning, thing very unusual that season, the horrors the scene being thus heightened the awful fury the elements,
Dowdall, sir William Warren, sir William Fortescue, sir Richard Morrison, sir Francis Rush, sir Oliver St. John, and some of the earl of Thoinond's troops; and the cavalry was commanded by sir William Godolphin and the earl of Clanrickard. On that might, which was dark and rainy, the Spaniards, to the number of 2000, made a powerful sally, directed chiefly against the platform and battery, where the English artillery was planted on the east side, and made determined efforts to force the place, and demolish the gabions and trenches, being armed with all sorts of tools and weapons, and with spikes and hammers, to cloy the cannon. After a severe contest, the Spaniards took the fort on the west side, but it was retaken by the English. There were about 5000 men engaged on both sides in this conflict, which continued for a long time, with great fury, and the Spaniards displayed the most undaunted bravery ; according to Morrison 200 of the Spaniards were slain, and the same number wounded, and there were at least as many killed and wounded on the side of the English, with some officers mentioned by Morrison.
On the 3rd of December, the six ships which had been driven to Corunna by storm, and were under the command of the admiral Don Pedro, arrived at Castlehaven, about 20 iniles from Kinsale, with a force of 700 men, or 1000, according to some accounts, with arms, artillery, &c. ; the fleet was cominanded by admiral Siriago, and the forces by Don Alonzo del Campo, some of these forces took possession of the fortress of Castlehaven, which belonged to Donogh O'Driscoll, chief of that district, and they were joined by five brothers of the O'Driscolls. Fineeen O'Driscoll gave a party of the Spaniards his castle of Baltimore, and Donal O'Sullivan Beare gave another party of them his strong castle of Dunboy, at
and loud thunder. The Spaniards, usual, made several sallies during this period, with great bravery, and many fell each side.
On the 21st O'Neill shewed himself, with his forces, horse and foot, hill northward, within about mile two Kinsale, near the river Owney Buoy, and place called Belgoley.
Battle Kinsale. —On the news the arrival the Spaniards Kinsale, O'Neill and O'Donnell actively collected their forces come their assistance, those heroic chiefs and their hardy
soldiers undertaking this arduous expedition more than 200 miles Munster, the depth winter, bad roads, and over
bogs, morasses, and mountains. The chiefs under O'Donnell, according the Pacata, and other accounts, were his brother Rory, Felim O’Dogherty, Mac Sweeny Tuath, O'Boyle and
others, Donegal; Brian O'Rourke Leitrim
Donoghs Corran Sligo, and the brother
the two O'Conors Roe, Conor Mac Dermott
O'Beirne Roscommon, O'Kelly, and the two O'Flahertys, Wil liam and Redmond Burke, and Hugh Mostian, from Galway; and
Munster was joined Thomas Fitzmaurice, lord Kerry, the Fitzgeralds, knights Kerry and Glynn, and Dermod Maoi Mac Carthy Carberry, brother Florence. O'Donnell's forces alnounted 2,500 men. The chiefs who came with O'Neill were
the O'Neills and O'Hagans
others, the Mac Donnells
the Mac Canus Armagh;
stantine Maguire Fermanagh, with some the O'Reillys Cavan; captain Richard Tyrrell, John Fitzgerald, brother the earl Desiuond, and Pierce Lacy. O'Neill's forces were about 4000, and the entire the Irish forces, according Morrison and
Tyrone; Randal Mac Sorley and Antrin; the Magennises Down; the Mac Mahons Monaghan Con
the two Mac O'Conor Sligo;
Moylurg, and
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REIGN OF ELIZABETH. 699
count of his alliance with the Irish, from their sions. Having determined that resolution, the having originally come from Spainto invade Ireland, persons selected accompany him that mis as recorded in the book called the Book of Inva sion were, Redmond Burke, the son John; cap
immediately to attack the English. According to the Pacata,
Brian Mac Hugh Oge Mac Mahon, whose son had been a
page with the president Carew in England, some years before,
sent, on the 22nd, a boy to captain William Taafe, requesting
him to procure a bottle of aqua vitae, or usquebaugh, from
Carew, which he sent him for old acquaintance sake. On Leger. The Irish, from some unaccountable cause, never fought
the 23rd Mac Mahon sent the same messenger, thanking Ca
rew for his present, and at the same time sent him a letter advising
him to stand well on his guard the following night, for that he was
present at a council, wherein it was resolved that the English
camp should be assaulted the next night, by the Irish and Spa
niards, therefore Mountjoy and Carew were perfectly prepared for
the expected surprise ; besides, it is stated, that on the 23rd, a
letter was intercepted from De Aquila to O'Neill, advising the
attack. It was determined on to assault the English camp on the
23rd, but it appears there was some misunderstanding between
O'Neill and O'Donnell, as to which should have the honor of lead Fineen O'Driscoll, and the Irish these parts, they are become ing the vanguard; however, it was finally agreed upon that cap
tain Tyrrell should lead the van, O'Neill the centre, and O'Don
nell the rear. It was intended to attack the English early in the
night, but, from the great darkness, the Irish forces missed their
way, and did not come up to the camp 'till near day-break on the
24th. The English forces were commanded by Mountjoy himself,
Carew, the earls of Thomond and Clanrickard, the marshal Wing
field, sir Richard Percy, sir Charles Wilmot, sir Christopher St.
Laurence, sir Richard Greame, sir Benjamin Berry, sir Richard
Morrison, lord Audley, sir Oliver St.