Veador, their ordnance (being seven in number in
the castle) were shipped. And the six-and-twentieth
the said castle, and the castle of Donneshed, were
with Spanish gravity rendered to Her Majesty's use.
The second of March following they were all em-
barked, and set sail for Spain. While these things
were in doing Captain Roger Harvy sent a party of
men to Cape Clear,^ the castle whereof was guarded
by Captain Tirrell's men, which they could not
gain, but they pillaged the island and brought thence
three boats ; and the second day following, the rebels,
not liking the neighbourhood of the English, quitted
the castle, wherein Captain Harvy placed a guard.
At this time Sir Finnin O'Driscall came to Captain
Harvy and submitted himself. The tenth of the
same month, the Lord Barry, Captain Taffe, and
Captain John Barry, chanced to light upon Donogli
Moyle MacCarty's men, and slew eighteen of the best
of them.
' A good deal of this castle still stands. It is situated on a rock
separate from the mainland of the island. There is a pretty strand
and little harbour close beside it. It was one of the O'DriscoU
castles.
Pacata Hibernia. II y
From Baltimore, Captain George Flower waa
shipped in a hoy of one hundred and twenty tons,
with two companies of two hundred in Hst, but weak
by pole, to receive from the Spaniards the castle of
Dunboy, but do all he could, by reason of foul
weather and contrary winds he could never, although
he was at the mouth of the Haven of Beare, recover
the land, and so was forced to return, eflPecting
nothmg. In this short navigation fifty of his best
soldiers by infection died, and but seven of the sailors
living.
CHAPTER XXVII.
The Spaniards embarked at Kinsale — The Spaniards dispossessed of
Donboy by O'Sulevan Beare — A letter from O'Sulcvan Beare
to the King of Spain — A letter from O'Sulevan Beare to the
Earl of Caracena — A letter from O'Sulevan Beare to Don
Pedro de Zubiare.
The twentieth of February, twenty Spanish captains,
with one thousand three hundred and seventy-four
soldiers, set sail from Kinsale for Spain.
The composition which Don Juan made when
he surrendered Kinsale infinitely grieved and offended
the Irish, and especially those who had voluntarily
delivered into his hands their castles, but especially
Donnell O'Sulevan, who, considering that if his castle
of Dunboy should be in the possession of the English
he was likely to be banished his country, not
having any hope of favour from Her Majesty, unto
whose crown and dignity he had manifested him-
self to be a malicious traitor, resolved to set up his
rest in regaining it out of the Spaniards' hands,
and afterwards to defend it against Her Majesty's
forces as well as he might. For accomplishing
whereof they watched a fit opportunity, and sur-
prised it in this sort. Although the Spaniards were
the masters of the castle, yet he had recourse into
it, and lodged therein with such of his men as he
thought good. In the dead of the night, when the
Spaniards were soundly sleeping, and the key of the
Pacata Hibernia. 119
castle in the captain's custody, O'Sulevan caused
his men, amongst whom there were some masons,
to break a hole in the wall, wherein four-score of his
men entered, for by appointment he had drawn that
night close to the castle Archer,^ the Jesuit, with
another priest, Thomas FitzMaurice the Lord of
Lixnaw, Donnell MacCarty, Captain Kichard
Tirrill, and Captain William Burke,^ with a
thousand men. When day appeared, Archer prayed
Francesco de Saavedra, the Spanish captain, to go
with him to O'Sulevan's chamber, unto whom he
made relation that his men had entered the castle,
that he meant no personal hurt, either to him or to
any of his, and that he would keep the same for the
King of Spain's use, and also told him that he had one
thousand foot within harquebuss-shot of the castle.
The captain, seeing himself surprised, made no
resistance, and willed his men to do the like ; but
the Spaniards in fury discharged a few musket shot
amongst the Irish and slew three of them and hurt
one; but by the mediation of O'Sulevan and Francesco
de Saavedra, the captain, all was pacified, O'Sulevan
being very careful that no hurt might be done to the
Spaniards. Afterwards O'Sulevan disarmed them all,
kept the captain, and a few of the better sort, with
three or four gunners, in the nature of prisoners,
^ He was with Owny O'Moore at the taking of the Earl of
Ormonde.
^ Brother of Redmund, Baron of Leitrim. A captain of Condottieri
now in the employment of 0' Sullivan Bere. We have met him
frequently before.
Tyrone, before leaving Munster, appointed O'Sullivan as his repre-
sentative in the south, and captain of the confederate Irish there.
These, however, laughed at his authority. The notion of obeying a
mere follower and vassal of M'Carty Mare was ridiculous to their
high and mighty minds.
120 PaCATA HlBERNIA.
and the rest he sent to Baltimore, to be embarked
for Spain. He also seized all the Spanish ord-
nance, munitions, and victuals which were there in
store. The captain not long after was set at liberty,
and returned with the Veador from Baltimore into
Spain, and with him the other soldiers who were
detained, but the cannoneers O'Sulevan reserved.
"When report was brought to Don John de Aguila,
then in Cork, of the surprise of Dunboy, he took
it for a great affront, and would presently have drawn
from Kinsale the Spanish companies there yet re-
maining and march to Dunboy to regain it by
force, and to deliver it according to the composition
into Her Majesty's hands. But the Lord Deputy and
the President, who were desirous to see his heels
towards Ireland, wished him not to trouble himself
with that business ; and when he was gone the
President should take order for the reducing of it into
his hands. The Castle of Dunboy was surprised (as
before said) in this month of February, 1601, and
held by O'Sulevan to the use of the King of Spain ;
but yet to excuse himself to the King, and to
make it appear to him how much he was his
servant, he wrote to him, to the Earl of Caragena
and to Pedro de Zubiare, there being then in Beare-
haven the Spanish pinnace which brought the packet
from Spain, intercepted between Kinsale and Cork
as aforesaid.
A Letter feom O'Sulevan Beaee to the King op
Spain.
My Lord and my King, — Out of his love to
your kingly greatness, your humble steadfast
PaCATA HiBERNIA. 121
servant Donnell O'Sulevan Beare, enforced tlirougli
peril and constraint, doth make bold to inform
your Greatness, that upon the landing in Castle-
haven, in the West of Ireland, of your General
Pedro de Zubiar, and Pedro Lopez de Soto, mth a
fleet and men from your Greatness, according to the
inward conceit of mind I always held, which I
manifested in my young years, and would have still
followed unless disability had constrained me to the
contrary ; finding a happy and good opportunity (as
I imagined) I came to their presence, tendering my
obeisance to them in the name of your Highness, and,
being with four hundred men at my own cost towards
your service, I yielded out of my mere love and good-
will, without compulsion or composition, into their
hands, in the name of your Majesty, not only my
castle and haven called Bearehaven, but also my wife,
my children, my country, lordships, and all my
possessions for ever to be disposed of at your pleasure.
They received me in that manner, and promised, as
from your Highness, to keep and save the said castle
and haven during the service of your Grace. Not-
withstanding, my gracious Lord, conclusions of peace
were assuredly agreed upon betwixt Don Juan de
Aguila and the English, a fact pitiful and, according
to my judgment, against all right and human con-
science. Among other places whereof your Greatness
was dispossessed in that manner, which were neither
yielded nor taken to the end they should be delivered
to the English, Don Juan tied himself to deliver my
castle and haven, the only key of mine inheritance,
whereupon the living of many thousand persons doth
rest, that live some twenty leagues upon the sea coast,
into the hands of my cruel, cursed, misbelieving
122 Pacata Hibernia.
enemies, a thing, I fear, in respect of tlie execrable-
ness, inhumanity, and ungratefulness of the fact if it
take effect as it was plotted, that will give cause to
other men not to trust any Spaniard hereafter with
their bodies or goods upon these causes. My Lord,
in that I judge this dishonourable act to be against
your honour and pleasure (as I understand by your
last letters that came into Ireland), considering the
harm that might ensue to the service of your Majesty
and the everlasting overthrow that might happen
to me and my poor people, such as might escape the
sword of our enemy (if any should), I have taken
upon me, with the help of God, to offer to keep my
castle and haven from the hands of mine enemies
until further news and order come from your Highness.
I have sent my son and heir, being of the age of five
years, as a pledge for accomplishing your will in this
behalf and for the performing of my promise passed
unto your Greatness. I would not omit myself in
person to come and visit your Highness, but that I
fear our wars here would grow weak in respect of my
absence, for which cause myself and the rest of our
men of worth have sent in haste, with intelligence
unto your Greatness, our loving friend Dermond
O'Driscall, in respect of our confidence in him, our
knowledge of him, and the continual endeavours we
see in him towards this Catholic war, as from us all.
And forasmuch as we could not conveniently write
all that we wish unto you, we humbly beseech that
he may be heard as from us all, as if ourselves were
present, and to hasten helping news that shall rejoice
us and our people, and afterwards to speed your
gracious help unto us, for the sooner the better,
whilst our enemies are not in readiness ; and until
Pacata Hibernia. 123
the comiDg of news from your Grace unto us I will
have in readiness, where the service shall require,
the number of one thousand men ! and I will upon
my knees pray the merciful God to give unto your
Grace long life, with health of body and soul and all
happiness, and so do commit you to the safeguard of
the Omnipotent. Donboy, viz., Bearehaven, the
twentieth day of February, 1602,
DONNELL O'SULEVAN BeARE.
A Letter from O'Sulevan Be are to the Earl of
CARA9ENA.
My duty remembered : It may please your Lordship
to understand that, according to my former letters, it
hath manifestly appeared here the resolution of Don
Juan de Aguila to have been by his composition with
the English to yield to the enemy's hands all the
forts and havens voluntarily delivered by the lords
and gentlemen of this land for His Majesty's service,
which will be to the dishonour of the King, the pre-
vention of his most godly attempt, and the utter ruin
and destruction of thousands of this country gentlemen
and Catholics, who without compulsion entered into this
action. All which having considered, I have, of mere
affection to my religion, his Highness's service, and
love to my people and country, so endeavoured the
recovery of my castle that I drew into the same some
hundred of my followers, whom although the
Spaniards have attempted to resist, and killed three
of my best gentlemen, yet durst none of my people
kill any of them, but without harm forced them out
of my said castle, saving their captain, with five or
124 Pacata Hibernia.
six to wlioin I have allowed certain rooms in my house,
to look to the King's munition and artillery ; •which
castle and haven I do detain, and will evermore, for
His Majesty's service, to defend until his Highness' 3
pleasure and your Lordship's resolution unto me shall
be further known. And for manifestation of my
loyalty and faithfulness to His Majesty I have sent my
eon and heir thither, whom I hope ere this time is
present before your Lordship, and have cessed all the
Captain's company upon my own people and charges,
humbly beseeching it may please your Honour to be
a mean to his most Catholic Majesty that he may
vouchsafe speedily to relieve this place, where many
of his royal ships in time of service may be kept in
safety ; or otherwise to send some small ship towards
this coast to receive me and the rest of my family
and children, to be carried into Spain, for the saving
of our lives out of the hands of these merciless,
heretical enemies, making choice rather to forsake my
ancient inheritance, friends, followers, and goods,
than any way to trust to their most graceless pardon
or promise. Thus much I hope your godly charitable
nature will draw you to do for such a one as I am,
who hazarded life, lands, goods, and followers ^ for the
Catholic faith and the King's Majesty's service. All
which, leaving to your honourable discretion, through
whose virtuous means I chiefly hope to receive com-
* All very fine, but it must be remembered that all these lands,
goods, and followers he had secured for himself by petition to the
Imperial Council and by grant from the Queen, so ousting the reign-
ing O'SuUivan, Sir Owen. In one of those petitions he advances
divers reasons why it was probable that he would be a faitliful ser-
vant to the Queen, e.q., he was educated at a school in the loyal city
of Waterford, he could speak English, he had helped the Queen in
the Desmond wars, etc.
Pacata Hibernia. 125
fort, I liumbly take leave. From Beareliaven Castle,
the last of February, 1602.
Your most faithful and bounden
DONNELL O'SULEVAN BeAKE.
To the Earl of Cara9ena, Governor and
Captain-General for His Majesty in the
Kingdom of Galicia.
A Letter feom O'Sulevan Beaee to Don Pedeo
ZUBIAUE.
My Honoueable Good Feiend, — Your kind letters I
have of late received, and for your careful furtherance I
cannot but rest beholden and thankful as before. Our
state since your departing, notwithstanding many
crosses, was reasonably well, partly because of the weak-
ness of the English forces, until a bruit came to us
credibly that Don Juan de Aguila did not only agree and
compound to yield the town of Kinsale, but also the
other castles and havens delivered voluntarily by the
owners to you and the Veador to the King's use
during the occasion of service; which notwith-
standing, being delivered to the enemy's hands, would
mightily discourage and weaken all the King's friends
in Ireland ; namely myself, who by keeping my
possessions belonging to my castle and Haven of
Bearehaven, and able (God be thanked) and ready at
all times to find at all times for His Majesty's service,
upon warning and necessity, one thousand men,
besides the ward of my own castle, whose losing the
same so unexpectedly, and surrendered to the
hands of most heretical enemies, I am not only
disappointed of all power, but also driven to run
to the mountains, there to live like wolves, for the
128 Pacata Hibernia.
of Spanish ordnance to be conveyed to tlie island, with
a certain quantity of powder and shot, and having
sixty choice men, fortified the same as he thought
against the most potent enemy ; but we leave these
rebels busjdng their brains and wearying their
bodies about these fortifications, and return to
Captain Harvy. While the Veador, Pedro Lopez de
Soto, remained at Baltimore, many courtesies and
familiar conferences passed between them, wherein
he showed himself to be a man of great humanity
and a good statesman, able to relate many things
concerning the State of England, and particularly
the nobility in the same, as well as some that had
spent their whole lives in that realm ; but the end
of all his conference still tended towards a peace
between our sovereign and his master, whereby it
may be gathered that the King of Spain was weary
of the war which himself had injuriously begun.
The substance of their discourse Captain Harvy
related to the President, and also showed him a pass-
port of the Veador' s, and a letter which he sent to
him after his arrival in Spain, all which are thus
Englished : —
CHAPTER XXVIII.
An interlocutory discourse between Captain Roger Harvy and Pedro
Lopez de Soto — Pedro Lopez de Soto's passport — Pedro Lopez
de Soto's letter to Captain Roger Harvy.
A DiSCOUESE THAT PASSED BETWIXT CaPTAIN RoGER
Harvy and Pedro Lopez de Soto, the Spanish
Veador, the Six-and-Twentieth of February,
1601, in the Island of Innysharkin, whilst the
Spaniards were embarking their Munitions and
Artillery thence ; the effect as followeth : —
Soto. Sir, is it not a miserable and lamentable thing,
in any honest man's conscience, to see the daily
effusion of blood and infinite expense of treasure that
this war betwixt Spain and England doth daily bring
forth and consume ?
Harvy. I told him it was too high a mystery for
me to censure, but I thought it to be the judgment
of God, for we must understand that princes are
God's ministers and agents upon earth, and what
they do is beyond our limits to look into. Notwith-
standing I thought the pride of his master's gold so
puffed him up, that either he must have all the world
or nothing can content him, or else his king would
never have sought out such a place as Ireland is to
have buried so many crowns in, besides the loss of
no small number of his subjects ; but it may be
VOL. II. K
128 Pacata Hibernia.
of Spanish ordnance to be conveyed to the island, with
a certain quantity of powder and shot, and having
sixty choice men, fortified the same as he thought
against the most potent enemy ; but we leave these
rebels buspng their brains and wearying their
bodies about these fortifications, and return to
Captain Harvy. While the Veador, Pedro Lopez de
Soto, remained at Baltimore, many courtesies and
familiar conferences passed between them, wherein
he showed himself to be a man of great humanity
and a good statesman, able to relate many things
concerning the State of England, and particularly
the nobility in the same, as well as some that had
spent their whole lives in that realm ; but the end
of all his conference still tended towards a peace
between our sovereign and his master, whereby it
may be gathered that the King of Spain was weary
of the war which himself had injuriously begun.
The substance of their discourse Captain Harvy
related to the President, and also showed him a pass-
port of the Veador' s, and a letter which he sent to
him after his arrival in Spain, all which are thus
Englished : —
CHAPTER XXVIII.
An interlocutory discourse between Captain Roger Harvy and Pedro
Lopez de Sofco — Pedro Lopez de Soto's passport — Pedro Lopez
de Soto's letter to Captain Roger Harvy.
A Discourse that passed betwixt Captain Roger
Harvy and Pedro Lopez de Soto, the Spanish
Veador, the Six-and-Twentieth op February,
1601, IN THE Island of Innysharkin, whilst the
Spaniards were embarking their Munitions and
Artillery thenob ; the effect as followeth ; —
Soto. Sir, is it not a miserable and lamentable thing,
in any honest man's conscience, to see the daily
effusion of blood and infinite expense of treasure that
this war betwixt Spain and England doth daily bring
forth and consume ?
Harvy. I told him it was too high a mystery for
me to censure, but I thought it to be the judgment
of God, for we must understand that princes are
God's ministers and agents upon earth, and what
they do is beyond our limits to look into. Notwith-
standing I thought the pride of his master's gold so
puffed him up, that either he must have all the world
or nothing can content him, or else his king would
never have sought out such a place as Ireland is to
have buried so many crowns in, besides the loss of
no small number of his subjects ; but it may be
VOL. II. K
130 Pacata Hibernia.
hereafter be will know us better, and percbance tbink
our nation fitter to conquer tban to lose what we
bave.
Soto. But do you tbink tbat gold is so abundant
ynth. us ?
Hae. Tbe Indian world wbicb you possess makes us
believe so.
Soto. Well, be not deceived, for myself bave been
a dealer tbese many years in great affairs for tbe
King, and by tbat I do somewbat understand bis
hacienda, wbicb I must confess to be very great,
and yet not so exceeding as tbe world thinks. But if
it were far greater tban it is, I assure you tbe infinite
number of garrisons which be is daily forced to
maintain would devour other such Indies if be had
them ; for do but look into bow many several
branches his treasure is divided, and then you will
believe me ; but yet of all the rest bis expenses in
tbe wars of tbe Low Countries are most chargeable
and of greatest import to him, and for which he
may thank your Queen of England, for had not
she assisted those traitors they long since had borne
tbe yoke of their deserts, and neither Ireland nor
England had ever been looked into, or ofi'ended by
VLB.
Hae. Why, then I perceive it is not religion or
conscience tbat hath brought you hither to relieve
the Irish, but only revenge for our aiding the States
of the Low Countries against the Cardinal.
SoTO. But did you ever tbink otherwise ? I know
you did not ; and if you say so, I know you dissemble
with me, for tbe place where you have been brought
up in bath better discipline.
Hae. Why, where bave I been brought up ?
Pacata Hibernia. 131
Soto. I hear that you are near in blood to the
President, and that from a child you have followed
him, and I know that you are better instructed than
you make show of.
Har. I must thank you for your good opinion of
me ; but have you ever seen the face of the Presi-
dent?
Soto. I assure you no, and which I am very sorry
for ; for I hear that he is a worthy gentleman, and one
of the wisest men in Ireland ; and if I would take the
Irish opinions for my belief of him, they confidently
believe that he hath a familiar, for they say he knows
all things and that nothing can be hidden from him ;
besides he is so intimate with the Secretary of
England that his power thereby is the greater, which
strengtheneth much my belief of his worth, but I
pray you, sir, is it so ?
Hae. Truly I must confess that I am nearly allied
to him, and that I am wholly his creature from my
childhood ; but for your better satisfaction of what
you have heard of him, unless in modesty I should
wrong him, I cannot do less than maintain the same
opinion which the world holds of his worth and
sufficiency ; but for any familiar that he hath, more
than a noble spirit and judgment, and than the long
experience of this nation may sufficiently give him
understanding, I assure you he hath not any, and
therefore the Irish in that wrong him. And as for
the greatness with the Secretary of England, I know
in his affections he hath been very near him these
many years, and to his uttermost hath wholly devoted
himself to him ; and in any reasonable matter I
think Master Secretary will as soon hearken to his
counsel as to any if he were in England.
K 2
132 Pacata Hibernia.
Soto. But why would not tlio secretary keep him
still with him, but suffer him to spend his time among
this barbarous nation, for which, I think, Christ never
died?^
Hae. I cannot say but you object well ; but I
assure you the necessity of his coming hither was
such that for the public good he was forced to it ;
besides Her Majesty's opinion of his experience is
such that she knew he was able to end all the wars
in these parts with expedition, which in four months
myself can testify he had finished ; and had not your
armies coming hither caused a new rupture he had
good hopes to have been called home again long since,
which I know nothing under heaven he desireth more.
SoTO. That makes me think that he is weary of the
wars and would be contented now to live in peace.
Har. I think not so unless it were a very happy
peace, otherwise wars are far more welcome to him
(although I think not the Irish wars) ; but I think a
Spanish journey, royally undertaken, would please
him as much almost as to be seven years younger.
Soto. Since your President loves a hot climate so
well, I would to God he would be a means to make a
peace betwixt the two kingdoms, and then he might
take his choice in which of them he would live, and
be a welcome man unto both; but was not he in
France with Master Secretary when that business was
treating ?
Hae. Yes.
Soto. And were you there likewise ?
Har. No.
Soto. I assure you there was excellent juggling on
your side, and will be still where great personages
1 This saying is usually attributed to Don Juan.