Ireland under the Tudors, with a Succinct Account of the Earlier History. Vol. 2 (of 3)Bagwell, Richard
History
Ireland under the Tudors, with a Succinct Account of the Earlier History. Vol. 2 (of 3)
Bagwell, Richard
Ireland -- History -- 16th century
Notwithstanding the perfidy of his own intentions towards them, Sussex
expected the Scots to keep their promises made through Hutchinson and
Randolph. Piers, the indefatigable constable of Carrickfergus, went both
to Cantire and Red Bay. At the latter place he made an arrangement with
James MacDonnell, by which the latter bound himself and his brother
Sorley Boy to send a contingent to Armagh. Sussex had succeeded in making
peace between the Scots and Andrew Brereton, the turbulent farmer of
Lecale, who had called Tyrone traitor at the Council Board fourteen years
before. Alaster MacRandal Boy, the acknowledged chief of the MacDonnells
in that district, was a tried friend of the English, and willingly
accepted Brereton's invitation to sup at Ardglass. That same night a
number of Scots, including the chief and his brother Gillespie, were
killed in their beds by Brereton's orders, and a third brother underwent
the same fate in another village. These murders of course destroyed all
hopes of help from the MacDonnells, and Scots and Irish alike called
loudly and justly for vengeance. 'The voice is common,' said Sussex,
'that every Irishman that cometh to the Queen's service is either left
undefended or murdered by treason, which toucheth as much the surety of
the Queen's order in this realm as the breach of my "slantie" toucheth me
in honour.' Brereton fled, having first sold his interest in Lecale to
the Earl of Kildare. It does not appear that he was ever punished, and
ten years afterwards we find the Lord Deputy recommending him for a good
service pension. Such things did indeed touch the honour both of Queen
Elizabeth and of her most distinguished servants.[66]
[Sidenote: Sussex can obtain no decisive success.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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