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Negotiations between
Confederated Chiefs and Her Majesty's Commissioners - They meet in an Open
Field - The Irish Chieftains formulate their Demands - Tyrone asks for Aid
from Spain - Differences between Russell and Norris - Fresh Negotiations
Fenton and Norris meet Tyrone and O'Donnell - The Demands of the Irish -
The Lord Deputy fears Treachery.
Tyrone had hitherto acted
chiefly on the defensive, and when Commissioners were appointed by the
Queen to treat with the confederated chiefs, he entered into the
negotiations with zest and alacrity. The Commissioners were the treasurer,
Sir Henry Wallop, and Chief Justice Sir Robert Gardiner, with whom the
northern leaders conferred in an open field near Dundalk. The Irish chiefs
made such representations of their grievances that the Commissioners
confessed some of them were reasonable enough, but said these should be
referred to the Queen, and the confederates, having no confidence in the
English Government, and having learnt to be self-reliant, broke off the
conference. This occurred in July, and the mutual distrust displayed may
be clearly seen in the fact that Tyrone refused under any conditions to
enter the town. Swords only were worn. "The forces of either side stood a
quarter of a mile distant from them, and while they parleyed on horseback
two horsemen of the Commissioners stood firm in the midway between the
Earl's troops, and them, and likewise two horsemen of the Earl's were
placed between them and Her Majesty's forces. These scout officers were to
give warning if any treacherous attempt were made on either part."
This historic meeting was
attended not alone by Tyrone and his brother Cormac, but also by
O'Donnell, Maguire, MacMahon, O'Dogherty, and O'Reilly. The demand of the
chiefs was "free liberty of conscience", an elastic term which might
include a preference for the rule of Philip of Spain to that of Elizabeth
of England. Free pardons were demanded, and also the supremacy of Tyrone
in Ulster. Sheriffs were not to be appointed in Ulster, save in Newry and
Carrickfergus, and the plea put forward was that by the suggested
concessions the Irish chieftains would be drawn "to a more nearness of
loyalty". Such concessions as these meant little less than an abrogation
of royal authority in Ulster. Negotiations were protracted and lasted for
months. At last a fresh truce was determined on extending to April. The
Lord Deputy considered the terms too lenient, considering that the Irish
chiefs were avowed rebels, and the Queen was highly incensed, and on the
8th of January, 1596, wrote to the Deputy and Council: "We see by your
collections, that his rebellion has been favoured throughout the kingdom,
and therefore can hardly be extinguished without great effusion of blood.
If you find that the principal ringleaders will not submit unless the rest
be pardoned, you may grant to Tyrone, O'Donnell, and all the rest, named
in your letters, our free pardon, upon condition that they shall all come
in and submit themselves. We leave their lands and goods to your
discretion. For the speedy conclusion of a general quiet, you may ratify
whatever may soonest effect the same. Make all the conditions as
honourable to us as you may, and especially that our revenue in Monaghan
be still answered to us. Spend no useless time in staying for directions
from us. Discover whether this late protraction of Tyrone and O'Donnell's
coming in were only out of desire to draw this remission to their
companions, or whether it be a plot to temporize until they have received
foreign aid. Delay is Dangerous." Elizabeth was particularly annoyed at
the fact that the Commissioners addressed
Tyrone and his associates
by such titles as "loving friends" and "our very good lord".
Tyrone had, as the Queen
suspected, been in communication with Spain. On the 11th September, 1595,
he had written to Philip that their only hope of re-establishing the
Catholic religion lay with him; now or never the Church should be
succoured; that 2000 or 3000 troops might be sent before the feast of St.
Philip and St. James ; with such aid they hoped to restore the faith of
the Church, and to secure him a kingdom. To Don Carolo he wrote that with
the aid of 3000 soldiers the faith might be established within one year in
Ireland, the heretics would disappear, and no other sovereign be
recognized save the King Catholic. Philip, in response, promised in a
letter dated the 22nd of January, 1596, to send assistance.
Gardiner repaired to
England to lay before the Queen the results of the meeting at Dundalk, but
Elizabeth, being vexed, refused, womanlike, to see him. When at last she
consented to hear the Chief Justice, she expressed great displeasure,
declaring that what Tyrone asked for was "liberty to break laws, which Her
Majesty will never grant to any subject of any degree".
Differences had long
prevailed between the Lord General, Sir John Norris, and the Lord Deputy,
Sir William Russell. The former, says Leland, "had judgment and equity to
discern that the hostilities of the Irish had been provoked by several
instances of wanton insolence and oppression". The Deputy, who appears to
have been jealous of the fame of Norris, adopted opposite views, and
insisted on a "rigorous persecution of the rebels". The opinions of Norris
became popular in England, and a commission was issued to him and Sir
Geoffrey Fenton to treat with the confederates. Terms of submission were
agreed on, and promises of pardon given; but the Annalists tell us that
the Irish did not regard this arrangement of differences as conclusive.
Russell gave out that he would go to the North himself, and Norris was in
despair. "The mere bruit", he cried, "will cross us, and I am sure to meet
as many other blocks in my way as any invention can find out. I know the
Deputy will not spare to do anything that might bring me in disgrace, and
remove me from troubling his conscience here."
Sir Geoffrey Fenton was of
opinion that Tyrone and O'Donnell would most likely "stand upon their
barbarous custom to commune with us in the wild fields". And so it proved.
"On the 17th of January, 1596, the Earl announced the arrival of O'Donnell
and most of the Irish chieftains, and prayed the Commissioners to come to
a place called the Narrow Acre, while he came to a place adjoining, called
the Black Staff. This they refused to do, and commanded him to come to
Dundalk under Her Majesty's protection; but Tyrone made answer that he
would not come to Dundalk, but would come to any other indifferent place.
"On the 19th the
Commissioners wrote to the Earl, reproving his fears, and requesting him
to set down in writing his offers and demands. If these should be
acceptable to Her Majesty, they assured him of her gracious pardon for his
life, lands, and goods, and also for the rest of his confederates.
"The next day the
Commissioners, having in their company the Sheriff, Sir H. Duke, and
Gerald Moore in all, five met with Tyrone and O'Donnell a mile out of
Dundalk, none of either side having any other weapons than their swords.
The forces of either side stood a quarter of a mile distant from them; and
while they parlied, which was on horseback, two horsemen of the
Commissioners stood firm in the midway between the Earl's troops and them,
and likewise two horsemen of the Earl's was placed between them and Her
Majesty's forces. These scout officers were to give warning if any
treacherous attempt were made on either side. The treaty continued three
hours. The Earl and O'Donnell stood still in their demands, and the
Commissioners upon the negative; and they departed without any important
conclusion, agreeing to meet at the same place the day following."
One of the Commissioners
succeeded to "parling" with O'Donnell separately; "but O'Donnell was most
resolute".
At the second meeting the
Commissioners found them as men exceeding fearful, continually gazing
about, their spies riding near them, and less attentive to their speeches
than at the first.
"'Then', said we, 'what
cause had you, O'Donnell, to enter into rebellion, the rather Her Majesty
making account that you and ancestors had been always loyal?' Unto which
he said he had been unjustly long imprisoned. Also he said that Willis,
with great strength, sought not only to invade Fermanagh, Maguire's
country, being his next neighbour, which warned him that the like would
happen unto himself, but also came upon the borders of his own country.
Also he feared the great extortion of Sheriffs and officers if his country
should be under laws, which he found true by experience of other parts.
"Also the Earl said: 'why
was Philip Hore so long imprisoned, and no cause alleged upon him?' Unto
all which we answered: 'Touching the imprisonment of you, O'Donnell, and
of O'Reilly, if there were no cause to touch you in disloyalty, yet all
princes in policy may and do use to take their subjects in pledge for the
peace of their countries; and you both, being but subjects, do use the
like, and therefore should the less dislike of that course.' Then said the
Earl: 'Why do you then take great sums of money for their deliverance, as
you have done of O'Reilly?' We said the Queen did freely set him at
liberty. ' That is true,' they said, ' but others had it.' 'Neither', said
we, 'do we know it true or believe it.' But they still said they
could prove it true, and inveighed greatly against such bribing, as they
termed it. And we said, as touching Willis, his proceedings and the
corruption of officers, it was without warrant, and Her Majesty's officers
would many times be evil like their own. And after many other speeches had
thereof with persuasion, that which was amiss should be remedied, we ended
these parts.
"Then we entered into
speeches touching their general demands, which we have formerly sent unto
your lordship, saying: 'We, on Tuesday last, willed you to make them more
reasonable, unto which you this last day sent us word you could not dare
then to alter them, but since we hear not again thereof from you'. Unto
which the Earl said: 'I will deal again with my associates, to see if they
will agree to any change of them, and send you them to-morrow'. 'Then',
said we, because we would as well alter their manner as their matter of
these demands, <the course you hold, in setting down your demands in that
manner you have done, can neither be allowed or answered by us, because it
is joint, and that you would have all the rest depend upon the peace of
you the Earl only. And you, the Earl,' we said, 'had in all your letters
to the State mentioned you would deal but for Tyrone, and O'Donnell for
Tyrconnel, and every one of the rest for their own peace.
"'Neither could we deal with you, O'Donnell, for Connaught causes, because
they were to make their own peace, agreeing with your (the Earl's) letter.
Neither yet touching the Breny causes, for the Breny is, was, and ought to
be under only Her Majesty's immediate obedience. And our Commission could
not take knowledge of Philip O'Relye's being with you, nor of any title he
had or could make for himself by law or custom. And we marvelled in any
manner why you meant in your articles to mention anything touching
M'Genny's country, who had the same by patent, and in his lifetime never
complained of any grievances to himself or to his country ; and which
country was now descended upon his eldest son according to his father's
patent.' Upon which O'Donnell answered: But there is another now claiming
the same by ancient custom of the country, who is with us'. 'If custom',
said we, 'should prevail, neither O'Relye in the Breny nor yourself have
interest in Tyrconnel, so as we perceive you do now not stand upon your
own customs.' Upon which he answered not, but smiled. And we said unto the
Earl: ' What intend you to claim by patent, or by custom to the disherison
of your children?' Unto which the Earl mutteringly answered: ' That shall
come in question hereafter'. We gathered he would not fully answer,
because O'Donnell was present; and although we divided them the first day,
as we have signified, yet now we perceive they intend not to have speech,
but both being present, and to assent to no more than what they all shall
agree.
"In the conclusion of our
parley, we required them, for the reasons aforesaid, to set down dividedly
all the causes of their grievances, their demands and offers, and
thereupon we would answer them so reasonably as we hoped should be to
their satisfaction; and this present morning they have sent unto us their
demands for M'Mahon, as they term him, and of every Mac with the griefs,
because as they say, there began the cause of their complaints, which we
send enclosed, by which it appeareth Her Majesty, besides her interest
with the royalties, shall yearly lose about ^500 sterling, besides the
Earl of Essex to lose the benefit of his lands of Ferny. The rest of their
demands in likelyhood be of the same nature. We will keep them together by
means of delays until we discover how far they will be drawn, and their
further intentions."
Although small satisfaction
could be got out of either Tyrone or O'Donnell, and O'Rourke ran away
after signing the articles, Maguire, with several lesser chieftains, went
to Dundalk and submitted. Thus we have again, at a critical time in her
history, the spectacle of a divided Ireland. The Lord Deputy, on the other
hand, had good cause to complain of the War Lord, Norris. Russell
acknowledged that the Queen was put to great expense in Ireland, and that
there was very little to show for it, "which", he said, "is not to be laid
to my charge, but unto his who being sent specially to manage the war, and
for that cause remaining here about a twelvemonth, hath in that time spent
nine months at the least in cessations and treaties of peace, either by
his own device contrary to my liking, as ever doubting the end would prove
but treacherous, or else by directions from thence". |
