CHAPTER VI. Baseness and perfidy. Adulteration of the coin. Sir John Perrot a kidnapper. Lord Mountjoy a mail robber. Deputy Grey a perfidious violator of his pledged faith. Six noblemen wickedly hanged, drawn, and quartered. Skeffington wreaks his vengeance on the dead. "The wicked statesman with false heart pursues To screen his crimes, and make his frauds complete." Churchill. IT is painful, for the honour of human nature, to reflect on the baseness and perfidy which characterised a great proportion of the English officers in Ireland. In their intercourse with the natives, the ties of honour, honesty, and justice, were wholly disregarded. Among the guilty are many who stand high in the British annals, and are regarded as shedding lustre on their nation. A remarkable feature attending some of these transactions, which is of very rare occurrence in history, is, that many of the governors, deputies, and other officers vested with authority in Ireland, were so lost to every sense of shame, that in various instances, they or their confidential friends or secretaries were the heralds of their own infamy, which they bequeathed to posterity with as little concern as if they were recording some glorious acts of heroism. Sir John Perrot, among his Machiavelian advices to Queen Elizabeth, for the government of Ireland, was base enough to recommend a swindling project of adulterating the coin of Ireland, which she was profligate enough to adopt. He advised to coin 400,000 pounds, so far adulterated, that it should cost the queen only 100,000 pounds. And, strange as it may seem, he pretended seriously to believe that it would confer a lasting benefit on Ireland, and tend to the reformation and improvement of the country! He proposed that there "be coyned yeerely, during the first four yeares, 100,000l. in pieces of 8d. 4d. 2d. and 1d. the same to containe but a fourth part of fine siluer, letting all coines that are currant there, of good gold and siluer, to run as now they doe: so your maiesties charge, besides all charges of coynage, will amount to no more but 25,000l. yeerely, which, by that time your maiesty with God's fauour should see would bring you a fair reckoning of that countrey and gouernment."302 His reasoning on the advantages to flow to Ireland from this piratical project, is truly curious and highly worthy of the projector. "As imbasing of coyne and such like dangerous innovations, may breed harme in well-gouerned states: so in Ireland, being all out of 302 Perrot, xiv. order, it can doe no harme at all; but rather it is to be hoped, that this small inconuenience, may be a meane to redresse not onely a number of other greater inconueniences, but also itselfe too withal in the end. 5303 Here is a scheme propounded by a viceroy, and carried into operation by his sovereign, which embraces as great a mass of fraud as the aggregate crimes of many criminals whose guilt has been expiated by the gallies, or the halter." It is worthy of remark, that Queen Elizabeth, in the proclamation prohibiting the refusal of this base money, under severe penalties, had the hardihood, in utter disregard to truth and common sense, to make a hypocritical parade of her honour and regard for justice, while she was promulgating a swindling scheme for depredating on and plundering her poor subjects. The folly of attempting to deceive the world by such a hollow pretence, is almost as contemptible, as the fraud itself is detestable. The lord deputy sir John Perrot, sunk into the base character of a kidnapper. Being desirous of obtaining possession of O'Donnel, one of the most potent proprietors in Ulster, or his son, he despatched a crafty captain with a vessel laden with wine, to Donegal, to entrap the unsuspecting youth. The vessel was reported as "Her majesty doth expressely charge and command, that they, nor any of them, shall not after the day of the publishing heereof, refuse, reject, or denie to receiue in payment of wages, fees, stipend, or in payment of debts, or in bargaine, or for any other matter of trade, commerce, or dealing betweene man and man, any of the said moneys of either kind, either mixt of siluer, or pure copper, but that they shall receive and accept the same at such values and rates as they are, coyned for, viz. shillings for shillings, pieces of six-pence for sixpence, and so of all other the severall kinds of that coyne respectiuely; denouncing hereby to all such as shall be found wilfully and obstinately to refuse the said moneys of this new standerd being tendered unto them in payments, or in any dealings betweene partie and partie, that they shall for that their contempt, receiue such punishment, as by her majesties prerogatiue royall may be inflicted upon persons contemning publique orders established for the universall good of that her realme !9804 "Her highnesse being a prince that in her gracious disposition, doth ever affect to make all her actions cleare and allowable, in their owne nature, rather than in the power of supreame authoritie, intending in this cause to giue to all persons such satisfaction as is reasonable."305 "The deputy sent one Skipper, a merchant of Dublin, with a shippe loaden with sacks, as if he had come out of Spain, directing him to runne up by Donagall, as farre as hee could unto O'Donnels country, where he should not only offer to sell at a cheape price, but be liberall in giving wine to such as should come aboard him. And that if O'Donnell or his sonne come aboard him by that meanes, (as he knew 304 Pacata Hibernia, 266. 305 Idem, 267. 303 Perrot, XV. having arrived from Spain-and the young man being invited on board, accepted the invitation, with two of his companions. They were plied well with drink, and as soon as a favourable opportunity offered, were loaded with chains, when the captain set sail for Dublin, where he delivered his victims to the deputy, by whom they were perfidiously immured in prison, where they languished for many years; till at length, probably by bribing their keepers, they found means to escape. A case of highway robbery, perpetrated by order of lord Mountjoy, next demands attention. Don Juan de Aquila, commander of a body of Spanish troops, which had invaded Ireland, had been defeated, and obliged to sign a capitulation, whereby he engaged to embark with his troops, and return to his own country. While he remained at Cork, preparing for embarkation, a Spanish pinnace arrived with dispatches from his government. The president hired a wretch of the name of Nuce, whom he directed to select as many ruffians as he chose, fit for such a service; to attack the messenger; rob him of his despatches; and bind him, to prevent a pursuit. Nuce faithfully performed the service, and brought the despatches to the deputy, with whom Don Juan was to dine that day. The messenger, being released, came and related his misfortune to Don Juan, who complained to the deputy, requesting him to make inquiry respecting the letters, of the president, whom it appears he suspected of being the instigator of the robbery. The deputy promised compliance with the request, but endeavoured to persuade him that the crime was committed by some of the Irish for the purpose of deriving advantage from a display of the letters. Next day, he assured the Spaniard that the president had not the despatches, which, by the way, he himself had at that moment in his possession.* they would,) hee should give them so much as might make them forget themselves, as being drunke should clap them under hatch, and bring them away to Dublin. This device was as carefully performed as projected, young O'Donnell being by this meanes surprized and brought away."308 **A Spanish pinnace landed in the westermost part of the province, and in her, there was a messenger sent from the king to Don Juan de Aquila, with a packet of letters. The president having knowledge thereof, told the lord deputie, that if he had a desire to know the king of Spaine's intentions, there was a good occasion offered. The lord deputies heart itching to have the letters in his hands, prayed the president to intercept them, if hee could hansomely doe it; the president undertooke it, and having notice that the next morning the messenger would come from Kinsale to Corke, and knowing that there were but two wayes by which hee might passe, called Captaine William Nuce unto him, (who commanded his foote company,) to make choise of such men as hee could trust to lie upon those passages, and when they saw such a Spaniard, (whom hee had described unto him,) to seaze upon him, and as thieues to rob him both of his letters, horses, 306 Perrot, 129. Here is a revolting tissue of fraud and falsehood, at which a man of honour would have shuddered. It realized the fable of the two thieves and the butcher. The president stole the letters-qui facit per alium, facit per se-the deputy had them. The former, therefore, could swear with a clear conscience, that he had them not, and the latter, that he had not stolen them. In order to delude the Spaniard, and to screen themselves from the disgrace of such a base action, they issued a proclamation, offering a reward for the discovery of the robbers. To the falsehoods above stated, another was added. When the Spaniards were nearly all embarked, the day before the departure of Don Juan, the lord deputy showed him the copy of the letters, which, he said, had been sent to him from Ulster, by a priest who was his spy about Tyrone, to whom they had been forwarded by the robbers.307 But the case I have now to record is far more base; as murder is more criminal than robbery. Six Irish noblemen of English extraction, were hanged, drawn, and quartered, by a perfidious violation of faith, at which a renegado Moor might feel ashamed. Fitzgerald, earl of Kildare, had been, like so many others of the Irish nobility, and money, not to hurt his person, but to leaue him and his guid bound, that hee might make no swift pursuit after them; and when they had delivered him the letters, to runne away. Captaine Nuce so well followed his instructions, as the Spaniard was taken in a little wood, and the letters brought at dinner time; (Don Juan, if I doe not mistake, that very day dyning with him,) who instantly caried them to the lord deputie, where, at good leasure, the packets were opened and read; which done the president went to his house, leaving the letters with the lord deputie. The same evening, the Spanish messenger having beene unbound by passengers, came to Don Juan de Aquila, relating his misfortune, in being robbed not five miles from the towne : Don Juan de Aquila went immediatly to the lord deputie, grievously complayning that the messenger was robbed by souldiers; (as he alleaged:) the lord deputie seemed not lesse sorry, but, (said he,) it is a common thing in all armies to have debaucht souldiers; but hee thought it to bee rather done by some of the country thieues; but if the fact was committed by souldiers, it was most like to bee done by some Irishmen, who thought it to bee a good purchase, (as well as the money,) to get the letters, to show them unto their friends in rebellion, that they might the better understand in what estate they were in. Don Juan not being satisfied with this answer, desired the lord deputie to enquire of the lord president, (for of his intercepting of them he had a vehement suspition,) whether hee had any knowledge of the matter, and so they departed. The next morning the lord deputie related to the president the complaint and his answers: Don Juan eager in the pursuite of his letters, came to know of the lord deputie what the president answered: The lord deputie answered him upon his fayth, that hee was sure that the president had them not; which hee might well doe, for they were in his owne possession." 307 Pacata Hibernia, 473. 308 Idem, 464. goaded into resistance, and had defended himself with so much skill and bravery, that the English had no hopes of conquering him in the field-and therefore assailing him by treachery, the unsuspecting earl fell a victim to his reliance upon the perfidious deputy, who sent a herald to invite him to a conference, with hostages for his safety in coming and returning. He accordingly went to the deputy, by * "With Fitzgirald, sir William Brereton skirmished so fiercelie, as both the sides were rather for the great slaughter disadvantaged, than either part by anie great victorie furthered. Master Brereton, therefore, perceiving that rough nets were not the fittest to take such peart birds, gave his advise to the lord deputie to grow with Fitzgerald by faire means to some reasonable composition. The deputie liking of the motion, craved a parlée, sending certaine of the English as hostages to Thomas his campe, with a protection directed unto him, to come and go at will and pleasure. Being upon this securitie in conference with the Lord Greie, he was persuaded to submit himselfe to the king his mercie, with the governours faithfull and undoubted promise that he should be pardoned upon his repaire into England. And to the end that no trecherie might have beene misdeemed of either side, they both received the sacrament openlie in the campe, as an infallible seale of the covenants and conditions of either part agreed. "Hereupon Thomas Fitzgerald, sore against the willes of his councellors, dismist his armie, and rode with the deputie to Dublin, where he made short abode, when he sailed to England with the favourable letters of the governour and the councell. And as he would have taken his journeie to Windsore, where the court laie, he was intercepted contrarie to his expectation in London waie, and conveied without halt to the tower. And before his imprisonment was bruted, letters were posted into Ireland, streictlie commanding the deputie upon sight of them, to apprehend Thomas Fitzgirald his uncles, and to see them with all speed convenient shipt into England, which the lord deputie did not slacke. For having feasted three of the gentlemen at Kilmainan, immediatelie after their banket, (as it is now and then seen that sweet meat will have sowre sauce,) he caused them to be manacled, and led as prisoners to the castell of Dublin: and the other. two were so roundlie snatcht up in villages hard by, as they sooner felt their own captivitie, than they had notice of their brethren's calamitie. The next wind that served into England, these five brethren were imbarked, to wit, James Fitzgerald, Walter Fitzgerald, Oliver Fitzgerald, John Fitzgerald, and Richard Fitzgerald. Three of these gentlemen, James, Walter, and Richard, were knowne to have crossed their nephue Thomas to their power in his rebellion, and therefore were not occasioned to misdoubt anie danger. But such as in those daies were enemies to the house, incensed the king so sore against it, persuading him, that he should never conquer Ireland, as long as anie Geraldine breathed in the countrie: as for making the pathwaie smooth, he was resolued to lop off as well the good and sound grapes as the wild and fruitlesse beries; whereby appeareth how dangerous it is to be a rub, when a king is disposed to sweepe an allie."800 "Thomas Fitzgerald the third of February, and these five brethren 309 Hollinshed, VI. 302. |
