Ireland under the Tudors, with a Succinct Account of the Earlier History. Vol. 3 (of 3)Bagwell, Richard
History
Ireland under the Tudors, with a Succinct Account of the Earlier History. Vol. 3 (of 3)
Bagwell, Richard
Ireland -- History -- 16th century
Pale tempted to rebel.'[261]
[Sidenote: Feagh MacHugh is hunted down,]
[Sidenote: killed,]
[Sidenote: and beheaded.]
In November, 1595, Feagh MacHugh came to Dublin and submitted on his
knees. The Queen was inclined to pardon him, but his terms were not at
first considered reasonable. If confirmed in his chiefry, he professed
himself ready to restrain his people, to attend assizes like other
gentlemen, and to kneel before the Queen herself, 'which I more desire
than anything in the world.' Even this rough mountaineer, who pointed
out to Elizabeth that his property was not worth confiscating, had
caught the prevailing tone of flattery. Nevertheless Feagh remained
in close alliance with Tyrone, and in September 1596 he struck a blow
which undid most of Russell's work in Leinster. Elizabeth had in the
end agreed to pardon him, with his wife, sons, and followers, to
confirm him in his chiefry by patent, and even to restore Ballinacor,
which she found a very expensive possession. Eight days after this
was decided at Greenwich, Feagh wrote to Tyrone, offering to trouble
the English well, and begging for a company of good shot; and a month
later he surprised Ballinacor. After this there was no further talk
of pardon, and Russell pursued the old chief to the death. A new fort
was built at Rathdrum, and Captain Lee, who was perhaps anxious to
efface the memory of his ill-success with Tyrone, scoured the mountains
during the winter. Cattle by the score and heads by the dozen were
collected, and the end may as well be told at once. One Sunday morning
in the following May Feagh was forced into a cave, 'where one Milborne,
sergeant to Captain Lee, first lighted on him, and the fury of our
soldiers was so great as he could not be brought away alive; thereupon
the said sergeant cut off Feagh's head with his own sword and presented
his head to my lord, which with his carcase was brought to Dublin...
the people all the way met my lord with great joy and gladness, and
bestowed many blessings on him for performing so good a deed, and
delivering them from their long oppressions.' The head and quarters
of this formidable marauder were exhibited upon Dublin Castle, and a
sympathiser says the sight pierced his soul with anguish. Four months
after, one Lane brought what purported to be the head to Essex, who
sent him to Cecil for his reward. Cecil said head-money had already
been paid in Ireland, and Lane gave the now worthless trophy to a lad
to bury, who stuck it in a tree in Enfield chase, where it was found
by two boys looking for their cattle. The Four Masters say Feagh was
'treacherously betrayed by his relatives,' for the O'Byrnes of the
elder branch had never acquiesced in the dominion of the Gaval-Rannall.
Thus one by one did the chiefs of tribal Ireland devour each other.[262]
[Sidenote: Complete failure of Norris in Connaught.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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