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The Family of O'Neill - The
O'Donnell Family - FitzWilliam's Cruel and Treacherous Methods - Hugh
Gavlagh hanged by Tyrone - The Irish Chieftain's Complaints to the Crown -
Edmund Hugh Maguire's Fate - His Head used as a Football - Tyrone repairs
to England - His Submission the Prelude to a Storm.
Lest the reader may be
puzzled by the number of O'Neills who now appear upon the scene of action,
it may be well to define as clearly as possible the position of the
various members of this great Ulster family. The first Earl, it will be
remembered, was Con Bacagh (The Lame), who died in 1588. Con's
illegitimate son Ferdoragh (called by the English Matthew) was, by a grave
error of judgment, created, at his father's request, Baron of Dungannon.
He was killed in 1557, leaving four sons, the eldest of whom, Brian,
succeeded him. He was known in the correspondence of the period as "the
young Baron", and, as we have seen, was murdered, when still a very young
man, in 1561, by Turlough Lynnah. Brian was succeeded by his brother,
Hugh, who, on petitioning the Irish House of Commons in 1585, was created
Earl of Tyrone. Con Bacagh, the first Earl, was also the father of the
famous Shane O'Neill, who claimed the title of Earl of Tyrone, but
eventually affected to despise it. He was murdered by the Scots of Antrim
in 1567. Shane's seven sons, known as the MacShanes, created at this time
(1588) much trouble by claiming to be the leading members of the O'Neill
family. Their names were Hugh Gavelagh, Con, Brian, Henry, Arthur, Edmund,
and Turlough. Of these the first three were the most formidable. But there
was still another claimant to the title of The O'Neill, and he was
Turlough Brasselagh, a brother of Con, the first Earl of Tyrone. In
addition to this somewhat bewildering number of "Richmonds in the field",
we must include the now aged Turlough Lynnagh, the actual chief, who was
the grandson of Art Oge O'Neill, also a brother of Con Bacagh.
It can easily be realized that Ulster, while all these turbulent
chieftains of the O'Neill blood were struggling for supremacy, was no
peaceful paradise.
Having, we hope, cleared up
the ramifications of the O'Neill family, it may be well also to define
those of the O'Donnells. It will be remembered that Calvagh O'Donnell, who
was married to a half-sister of the Earl of Argyll (known to the Irish
Annalists as "the Countess of Argyll"), was, with his wife, captured by
Shane O'Neill and imprisoned for years, while "the Countess" became
Shane's mistress. Calvagh fell from his horse and died on the field of
battle in 1566. His son, Con, who was described by Sussex as "assuredly
the likeliest plant that can grow in Ulster to graft a good subject on",
died in 1583, leaving nine sons, of whom Nial Garv was the most
formidable. The actual chief of Tirconnell at the time of the defeat of
the Spanish Armada was Sir Hugh O'Donnell (a brother of Calvagh), who,
ever since he had helped the English to crush Shane O'Neill, had been a
persona grata with the Government at Dublin. He had the questionable
pleasure of being known as "Ineen Duive's husband". Black Agnes (as her
name signifies) was a MacDonald, and an Irish prototype of Lady Macbeth.
By her orders, Hugh, son of Calvagh O'Donnell (her husband's nephew), was
murdered, because he had the temerity to claim the succession in
Tirconnell. Nor was this the only murder of which she was guilty, for one
of the sept of O'Gallagher annoying her by his independent bearing, she
promptly had him removed by a violent death. Ineen Duive had many sources
of annoyance, but the chief source for many years was an illegitimate son
of her husband, named Donnell. He appears to have been older than Ineen's
son, and married a daughter of Turlough Lynnagh. In 1588 he was made
sheriff by Fitz William.
FitzWilliam himself, by his
iron rule and his treacherous methods of administration, had earned the
hatred of all classes and creeds. When he notified Maguire of Fermanagh
that he was sending a sheriff to his territory, the Irish chieftain,
knowing the Deputy's ways, offered a big bribe, writing at the same time:
"Your sheriff will be welcome, but let me know his eric, that, if my
people cut off his head, I may levy it upon the country". The bribe was
accepted, and Maguire was assured that no sheriff would be sent.
Notwithstanding this promise a sheriff was sent, "who brought with him 300
of the scum of creation and who lived on the plunder of the people".
The MacShanes now commenced
to give trouble. Con MacShane, who had been imprisoned by Turlough Lynnagh,
was after a while set at liberty by the old chieftain and taken into his
confidence. Hugh Gavelagh (or the fettered, from the fact that he was born
during his mother's imprisonment), who had been two years in Scotland, now
returned to Ulster, and was supposed to have incurred the enmity of the
Earl of Tyrone by giving information to the Government. He is said to have
communicated to the Lord Deputy charges of treason against the Earl,
alleging, amongst other things, that he had plotted with shipwrecked
Spaniards to obtain help from the King of Spain to levy war against the
Queen.
The Earl denied the
charges. Hugh Gavelagh was seized by some of the Maguires, sold to Tyrone,
and by him hanged on a thorn-tree, the legend being that, owing to the
universal veneration of the name of Shane O'Neill, no man could be found
in Tyrone willing to be executioner of his son, and consequently, it is
said, the Earl himself acted as hangman. This Tyrone denied, giving the
names of the actual executioners, and defending his conduct strenuously.
Hugh Gavelagh, he said, had murdered many men, women, and children, and
there was no regular law in Ulster, "but certain customs . . . and I hope
Her Majesty will consider that, as her Highness's lieutenant under the
Deputy (as I take myself within my own territory), I am bound to do
justice upon thieves and murderers; otherwise, if I be restrained from
such-like executions, and liberty left to O'Neill, O'Donnell, and others
to use their ancient customs, then should I not be able to defend my
country from their violence and wrongs". "In this sentence", writes Mr.
Bagwell, "we have the whole difficulty of Tudor rule in Ireland briefly
expressed. The Government was not strong enough to enforce equal justice,
and practically confessed its impotence by allowing authority to lapse
into the hands of Tyrone and such as he. From FitzWilliam downwards,
nearly all the officials seemed to think that they could keep things quiet
by strengthening a man who aimed at being O'Neill in the fullest sense of
the word, but who was quite ready to play at being an earl when it suited
him, and to remember his English education."
There were many complaints
from Ulster of the tyranny and injustice of the agents of the Government.
Fermanagh was raided on the one side by Sir Richard Bingham, President of
Connaught, and on the other by Henslowe, the new seneschal of Monaghan,
who drove Maguire's cattle, killed the women and children, and exacted
illegal ransoms. Edmund Maguire's head was struck from his shoulders and
was insolently kicked about as a football by the soldiers. Shane M 'Brian
complained that after his father's death Island Magee, time out of mind
his proper inheritance, was taken from him by Lord Essex, and had ever
since been kept from him, and that afterwards Sir Henry Bagenal, Marshal
of Ireland, took from him the lands of Mawghryre More, and, rinding him in
Newry, imprisoned him, and would not deliver him "until he had passed unto
him what assurance he would have upon the said barony".
Maguire stated that the
late Lord Deputy and Council had given him special letters of favour that
neither the Binghams nor his other borderings should molest him; "yet Sir
R. Bingham, and the rest of his name in Connaught, came with force and
arms into his country, burned it, killed divers women and children, and
took from him 3000 cows, besides 500 garrons and mares, and certain women
and prisoners, whom he was fain to ransom, that, although letters were
sent by the Lord Deputy and Council to Sir R. Bingham for causing amends
to be made, he (Sir R. Bingham) came forthwith again into Fermanagh, at
two several times, and preyed Maguire of 6000 cows, besides much murder;
that Captain Henshaw [Henslowe], Seneschal of Monaghan, came several times
with his forces to places in Fermanagh, captured 3000 cows, and killed
men, women, and children; but Sir William FitzWilliam caused no redress
thereof; that in the several sheriffships of Sir Henry Duke and Sir E.
Harbert, in the County Cavan, they killed and preyed Maguire's tenants to
his and their damages of 3000. Afterwards, the said Lord Deputy being in
Monaghan, Maguire obtained faithful oath and promise that he should not be
charged with Sheriffs or other offices, in regard of his coming to do
obedience for one whole year; for which grant he paid, as a bribe to his
Lordship and others, 300 beeves, besides 150 beeves to the Marshal (Sir H.
Bagenal); but Captain Willis, having Captain Fuller's band and other
companies with him, was sent with commission to be sheriff there, and
preyed the country. They cut off the head of Edmund Hugh M'Guire, and
hurled it from place to place as a football. These hard courses compelled
him to expulse the said Willis and his companions; whereupon ensued the
proclaiming of himself and his followers, and their banishment out of the
country."
One more sample may be
given of these statements made by Irish chiefs of injuries which they had
suffered. The complaint of the M'Mahons was: "The said Brian M'Hugh Oge
saith that Hugh Roe M'Mahowne, named M'Mahowne by Sir William FitzWilliam,
and so confirmed and allowed to succeed by virtue of his brother's letters
patent, and coming into the state upon the word of a nobleman, and the
word of Henry More, of Mellifont, deed., was afterwards most unjustly and
treacherously executed by the said Sir William at his own house at
Monaghan. Which allowance of succession, as this M'Mahowne doth imagine,
was granted him, the said Hugh, purposely to draw an interest unto him and
his heirs, contrary to the custom of the country, and then by his
execution to draw the county into her Majesty's hands, as by the sequel
showeth. After whose execution a garrison was placed in Monaghan, the name
of M'Mahowne extinguished, and the substance of the county divided by the
said Sir W. FitzWilliam between Sir H. Bagnall, Baron Elliott, Mr.
Solicitor (Wilbraham), Captain Henshawe, Captain Willis, the Parson
O'Connellan, Hugh Strewbridge, Thomas Asshe, Charles Fleminge, and divers
strangers, and so the native country people for the most part
disinherited; and some of those that had portions allotted to them were
afterwards slain and murdered namely, Patk. M'Collo M'Bryen, coming upon
safe-conduct to the Parson O'Connellan, then Justice of the Peace, and
chief man in authority for her Majesty in that county, was intercepted by
an ambush, appointed by the said Parson and Captain Willis, and there
slain."
In the majority of cases no
notice was taken by the Government of the chieftains' remonstrances, and
the complaints were not reported to the Queen. In cases where such
complaints were laid before her, Elizabeth, in replying, does not deny the
facts stated, but asserts that the acts complained of were done without
her authority, or that, if they had been reported to her, she would have
seen speedy redress.
The Earl of Tyrone, having
no confidence in the officials of the Pale, set out in 1590 for England to
lay his grievances before the Queen. This step, however, was in itself
illegal, as he left Ireland without the licence of the Viceroy, and he was
accordingly imprisoned in the Tower of London. His incarceration was
neither long nor rigorous, and a month later his submission was graciously
received, and articles by which he bound himself anew to his former
engagements were signed by him. He renounced the title of O'Neill,
consented that Tyrone should be made shire-ground; that jails should be
erected there; that a composition for seven years' purveyance, payable by
instalments, should be paid within ten months; that he should levy no
armed force, or make any incursion into a neighbouring territory except to
follow a prey within five days after the capture of such prey from his own
lands, or to prevent depredations from without. He undertook to execute no
man without a commission from the Lord Deputy, except in cases of martial
law, and to keep his troop of horsemen in the Queen's pay ready for
service. In addition, he promised not to admit monks or friars into his
territory; nor to correspond with foreign traitors; to promote the use of
English apparel; to sell provisions to the fort of the Blackwater, &c.
For the fulfilment of these
conditions he pledged his honour, and promised to send unexceptionable
sureties, who were, however, not to be detained as prisoners in Dublin
Castle, but to be committed to the care of merchants in the city, or of
gentlemen of the Pale. The sureties might also be changed every three
months. The Government, on the other hand, undertook to protect the Earl
from all molestation, by requiring similar conditions from the
neighbouring chieftains; and Tyrone, on returning to Ireland, confirmed
these articles before the Lord Deputy and Council; but very prudently
excused himself from the execution of them until the neighbouring Irish
noblemen had given securities to fulfil the conditions on their part, as
it was stipulated they should be obliged to do. Camden asserts that for
some time Tyrone omitted nothing that could be expected from a most
dutiful subject.
This attitude, however, did
not last long. The troubles in Ulster were only commencing! |
