"The fourth cause is that, by reason of the aforesaid feuds, the King of England did cause Gerald Earl of Kildare, my father's kinsman, to be destroyed in prison [_destrui in carceribus_] until that my father, by might and power, did liberate the said Earl of Kildare, and did obtain his own purposes, and did make his kinsman viceroy of Ireland. "The fifth cause is that, when peace was hardly begun between my aforesaid father and the King of England, a certain sickness fell upon my father, I myself being then eight years old. "The King, when he heard this, made a league of Irish and English to kill my father; he being then, as they thought, unable to take the field. They, being banded together, made war against my father for twenty-four years, wherein, by God's grace, they had small success. "The sixth cause is that, when peace was made at last between the King that now is and myself, I, in faith of the said peace, sent certain of my servants to the parts beyond the seas to Flanders and France, and the attorneys of the King of England did despoil my servants of the sum of 9000l., and threw them into prison, where they now remain. "Hereon follows my supplication:-- "These things premised, I, the aforesaid earl, do implore and entreat the invincible and most sacred Majesty of Cæsar Augustus that he will deign to provide me with remedy, and I, with all my horses and people, do devote myself to your Majesty's service, seeing that your Majesty is appointed for the welfare of the oppressed, and to be lord paramount of all the earth. "To revenge the injuries done to myself and my family by the King of England, I have the following powers; that is to say, 16,500 foot and 1500 horse. Also I have friends, confederate with me, whose names be these-- "1. The Prince O'Brien, who can make 600 horse and 1000 foot. 2. Trobal de Burgh " 100 " 600 " 3. Sir Richard Poer " 40 " 200 " 4. Lord Thomas Butler " 60 " 240 " 5. Sir John Galty " 80 " 400 " 6. Sir Gerald Fitzgerald " 40 " 200 " 7. The White Knight " 400 " 800 " 8. O'Donnell, Prince of Ulster " 800 " 4000 " 9. The Knight of the Valley " 40 " 240 " 10. Baron MacMys " 40 " 500 " 11. Captain Macguire " 30 " 200 " "With divers others whose names be here omitted. "Moreover, I, the aforesaid James Earl of Desmond, do make known to the Majesty of Cæsar august, that there is an alliance between me and the King of Scotland, and, by frequent embassies, we understand each other's purposes and intentions.