monstrants were ungraciously dismissed, upon making an acknowledgment, that they intended not to resist any just prerogative of the crown. This forced submission of the imperious queen to the rights of her Irish subjects were probably wrung from her by the intelligence she had received of the intentions of the king of Spain to invade her kingdoms, in retaliation for her fomenting and supporting the insurrection of his rebellious subjects in the Netherlands. : 11. The insurrection of Desmond was not yet subdued. A band of private adventurers, partly Spanish, partly Italian, and partly Irish, landed in a body of about 600 men on the coast of Kerry: they brought with them ammunition and arms for 5000 men; and took possession of the fort of Smerick, which the Spaniards had begun to erect but left unfinished. They were not joined as they expected by the Irish being overpowered by numbers, they capitulated on terms; yet every individual, except the commander and his staff, was massacred in cold blood. This military butchery was committed under the orders of Sir Walter Raleigh, who attempted to justify it by the imperious circumstance of an inferiority of numbers on the side of victory. The queen is reported to have strongly reprobated the measure when informed of it. It was however followed up with as much rancour as if she had with her own hand signed the mandate for the bloody execution. 12. Although the insurrection of Desmond were now nearly suppressed, yet scarcely could the olive branch be distinguished through the turbulent atmosphere of blood and slaughter. Ireland was again provoked by the rigour of the governors into fresh outrages. The baron of Lixnau openly appeared in arms, and pleaded that he had been irritated into rebellion by the galling oppressions of Grey and his officers. In this instance the cry of grievance was not unattended to; policy created justice; lord Grey was recalled; and a general amnesty offered to such of the rebels as would accept of it. The queen had been for once truly informed, that if her governor continued to tyrannize with such barbarity, little would be left in Ireland for her majesty to reign over but ashes and carcases. 13. The dissatisfaction of the Irish at the attempts to force the reformed religion upon them, and the excommunication of Elizabeth by Pius the fifth, afforded a popular pretext for any rising against the government. The queen profited of the first appearance of tranquillity to convene a parliament. Desmond had been found in a retired cabin and beheaded by a common soldier; and Baltinglass his principal supporter in despair had fled into Spain. Sir John Perrot the deputy had by his prudence brought the nation into a more general disposition to loyalty than had been manifested at any time since the accession of Elizabeth to the throne. No attempt was made by this parliament to forward the new religion. The first effort of the session was a motion from the court party for the suspension of Poyning's law, which was negatived by the country party. These gentlemen, feeling their strength, opposed most of the transmitted bills; even that for the renewal of the ordinary The annals of the Four Masters give the names of many of the Milesian families that attended this parliament, which was the first that extended beyond the pale. They are as follow: "In this year, a proclamation has been published by the governIment, requiring of the chieftains of Ireland to assemble in parliament at Dublin, in the month of May; for at this time, most of the Irish were submissive to their prince. They accordingly obeyed the aforesaid order. "In this assembly appeared the chiefs of Tirconall and Tirone: particularly Torlogh, Luinagh, O'Neill, and Hugh the son of Firdarach O'Neill, last baron of Dungannon, but in the present parliament received under the title of earl Tirone. O'Donall, (Hugh the son of Magnus), Maguire, chief of Firmanagh, (Cuchonnact the son of Cuchonnact) O'Dogharty, chief of Inisoen, (Shane og the son of Shane) O'Boyle, (Torlogh son of Neill) O'Gallagher, John the son of Tuathal. "In the same parliament appeared the chieftains of Orgial (Ros the son of Arthur Mac Mahon, O'Cahane (Rory the son of Magnus), chieftain of Oreacht, Conn O'Neile (the son of Null og) chief of Clanna-boy, Magennis, chief of Hyveagh (Hugh the son of Donall og), O'Rorke, chief of the western Breffny (Brian na Murtha, the son of Brian Ballach), O'Riley, chief of the eastern Breffny (Shane Roc, the son of Hugh Connallach), together with his uncle Edmond, in contention with each other about the right of governing their country. The O'Farrals of Annally appeared also in this parliament, namely, O'Farral Can (William son of Donal), and O'Farral boy (Fachtna son of Brian); the Clan-Mury chiefs of Conaught presented themselves also in that assembly, viz. Hugh O'Conor (the son of Dermond O'Conordon), Teig og O'Conor Roe, Donal O'Conor Sligoe. Brian Mac Dermott appeared also as representative for May-lurg (i. e. the plains of Bayle), as the chieftain of that district was disabled by his great age to appear in person, O'Berne, chief of Tirbrun on Shannon (Carbery the son of Teige), O'Kelly of Hy. Manly (Tiege son of William), O'Madden of Siol Anmead (Donall son of Shane). "There appeared in that parliament also the earl of Clanrickard (the son of Richard,) the two sons of O'Shagnussy (John and Dermond). For the country of Ler-Conaght appeared Murcha-na-dua O'Flaherty. From Thomond appeared Donogh (the son of Conor), subsidy of 13s. 4d. for every plough land. They most de terminedly rejected a bill for vesting in the queen the lands of traitors without office or inquisition, and even another for declaring those traitors who should rebelliously detain any of her castles. The minister of the crown finding the parliament in a disposition to maintain the rights of Ireland against all demands and instructions from England, prorogued it after a short session of contest and opposition.* 14. The second session of this parliament was begun on the 26th of April, 1586, and with much difficulty was the bill for the attainder of Desmond passed. The grand object of that bill was the forfeiture of his vast possessions, which were then computed at 574,628 Irish acres. In order to prevent this forfeiture, a feoffment from Desmond of all these lands previous to his treason was produced by one of the members who was a Geraldine. The house was at first embarrassed, and about to acquiesce in the validity of the instrument, when the original articles of an association were produced of a date prior to that of the fraudu lent grant to which the name of this Geraldine was subscribed, and which expressly avowed the opposition of its members to the queen's government. The bill then passed earl of Thomond, and Sir Turlogh O'Brien, elected a knight of parliament for the county of Clare; also Turlogh the son of Tiege O'Brien and Macnamara (Shane), as representative of the western district of Clan culim, and Boethius Mac Egan returned one of the knights of parliament for the county of Tipperary. Ros the son of O'Lochlin, of Burren; the son also of O'Brien, of Ara (Murtagh, the bishop of Killaloe), O'Carrol of Ely (Calragh), Mac Caghlin (Shane) the son of Arthur, O'Ducie of Coille na managh (Philip sou of Othus), Mac Brian O'Guanach (Murtogh), the chieftain of Carigogonnel (Brian Duff O'Brian), O'Mulrian (Conor na meinge), chieftain of Uathney O'Mulrian. "In the same parliament appeared a number of chiefs from South Mury, Mac Carthy Mor (Donail), Mac Carthy Cairbreach (Owen son of Donall), with his nephews by two brothers, Donall and Fingin. Two of the Mac Carthy chiefs also, who were in contention about the estate of Alla. O'Sullivan of Bera (Owen son of Dermod), O'Sullivan Mor (Owen son of Donall), O'Mahony of Fun iararach (Conor), O'Driscol Mor (Fingin), Mac Gilla Patric of Ossory (Fingin) Macgeochan, chief of Kenel Fiacha (Conla), O'Mulloy (Conall) chief of Fera-kall. "Few of the Cavenaghs, O'Burns, O'Tools, O'Duns, and O'Dempseys, appeared.-Fiach Mac Hugh O'Burn, however, took his seat as a representative for the part of the county of Wicklow he possessed, i. e. the glyn of Malura. Two acts only were passed in this first session, viz. for the attainder of Baltinglass, and reversing that of Lord Walter Delabyde. ost without further opposition for the attainder of Desmond, and about a hundred and forty of his accomplices: and all their estates were forfeited. This also gave occasion to another bill for annulling such fraudulent conveyances in future. Some bills of regulation passed, particularly that for the impost and custom of wines, which had been thrown TO out in the former session. 15. In order to extirpate the aboriginal owners of the 12 soil, transpose the property, and alter the very face of the country, Elizabeth now entered upon her favourite scheme 1 of planting or repeopling Munster with an English colony. Letters were written to every county in England, to encourage younger brothers to become undertakers or adventurers in Ireland. Estates were offered in fee at a small acreable rent of three-pence, and in some places two-pence, to commence at the end of three years; and one half only [ of these rents was to be demanded for the three following. Seven years were to be allowed to complete the plantation. The undertaker for twelve thousand acres was to plant eighty-six families on his estates; those who engaged for less seigniories, were to provide in proportion. None of the native Irish were to be admitted among their tenantry. Amongst other advantages, they were assured that garrisons should be stationed on their frontiers for their protection, and commissioners appointed to decide their controversies. Sir Christopher Hatton, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Thomas Norris, Sir Warham Saintleger, Sir George Bourchier, and others of less note, received ample grants. 16. In Connaught another system was pursued, which tended proportionably to sharpen the rancour of the people against the government. The sheriffs and other officers of justice, who had been admitted by the burghers followed the example of the lord president, and acted not only with rigour, but with imperiousness. They entered the several counties with bodies of armed men, pillaging the inhabitants, and rendering the execution of the laws odious and oppressive. Sir Richard Perrot severely reprobated the violent government of Bingham, wisely preferring moderation to terror. Sir William Fitzwilliam, who succeeded the virtuous Perrot, was corrupt in the extreme. Considering himself sent out to that government with a view to reward former services still unrequited, he assumed it as a source of self remuneration and emolument. In search of imaginary treasures brought into the country by that part of the Spanish armada, which had been driven on the north western coast, he drove O'Rourke of Breffney* into open rebellion. With out any proof, or even charge of guilt, he committed Sir Owen Mac Toole, and Sir John O'Dogherty to close confinement in the castle of Dublin. These two persons, eminently respected for their loyalty, had rendered signal services to government. Fitzwilliam affected to suspect them of having secreted Spanish treasure; and on bare suspicion kept them confined without means of justifying themselves by any sort of trial. One was released on the point of death, brought on by the severity of his durance; and the other, after two years of imprisonment, purchased his liberty for an enormous sum of money. This arbitrary treatment of two persons universally revered fed the flame of discontent. 17. Mac Mahon, the chief of Monaghan, had surrendered his country holden by tanistry to the queen, and taken a regrant from the crown to himself in tail male, with remainder in like manner to his brother Hugh. Having died without issue, Hugh petitioned to be admitted to his inheritance; but immediately upon his arrival in Dublin was committed to prison. Fitzwilliam went into Monaghan in quest of some charge on which to impeach the title. He there was informed that two years before Mac Mahon had hostilely entered into a neighbouring district to recover some rent due to him by force of arms. In the unreformed parts of Ireland these acts were common and unnoticed; but the English law made them treasonable. The unhappy Mac Mahon, for an offence committed before the law which made it capital had been received in his country, was tried, condemned by a jury (said to have been formed of private soldiers), and executed two days after the charge was preferred, to the astonishment of his countrymen. His estate was distributed to Sir Henry Bagnall and other adventurers; and, in order to keep up appearances, a small part of it was allotted to four of the sept of Mac Mahon.*. * After some hostilities he was obliged to flee to Scotland, where, by order of the king, he was seized and delivered up to Elizabeth; he was afterwards hanged as a traitor in London. + Sir Richard Cox, an author of little credit in most matters affecting the Irish interest, 1 vol. p. 399, says, that it cost Hugh 600 cows to get a promise to be settled in his brother's inheritance; and that the four Mac Mahons, who received grants of parts of these estates, gave large bribes to the deputy. However, adds he, it must be observed, that henceforth the Irish loathed sheriffs and the English neighbourhood, as fearing in time they might all follow the fate of |