[260] Translation of Irish letter signed O'Neill (not Tyrone), O'Donnell, O'Rourke, and Theobald Burke (MacWilliam), July 6, 1596; Chief Justice Saxey's advertisements, January 1597, in _Carew_; Russell's Journal, 1596; Joshua Aylmer to Sir J. Norris, April 26, 1596; William Cosby to Russell, May 19, 1596, and an interesting note in O'Donovan's _Four Masters_; see also 'Report concerning O'Donnell's purposes' to Russell by Gillaboy O'Flanagan (long prisoner with O'Donnell) May 12; 'Words spoken by MacDonnell' (chief of Tyrone's gallowglasses) to Baron Elliott, June 15; Edmond and Edward Nugent to Russell, June 20; and 'Occurrents in Wexford,' June 26. As to Spanish and papal designs on Ireland about this time see Birch's _Memoirs_, ii. 153, 177, 180. [261] Burghley to his son Robert, Oct. 31, 1596, in Wright's _Elizabeth_; Orders for the soldiers, April 18, 1596; Declaration of the state of the Pale, June 1597, and Chief Justice Saxey's declaration already quoted, all in _Carew_. The Four Masters absurdly say that Norris had 20,000 men with him in Connaught this year. [262] _Four Masters_, 1597. For the Enfield head see the examination of John Dewrance before Richard Chandler, J.P. for Middlesex, Sept. 21, 1597, MS. _Hatfield_; Russell's Journal, and the letters in _Carew_ for August, September, and December, 1596. Feagh was killed May 8, 1597; see also his own letter to Burghley, April 25, 1596. [263] Russell's Journal; Declaration by the Lord Deputy and Council (including Norris and Fenton) in _Carew_, No. 261, soon after Christmas 1596. [264] Calendar of S. P. _Domestic_, Sept. 30 and Dec. 22, 1596; Letters in _Carew_ from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9. On Aug. 10 Tyrone wrote to Russell that he was surprised at his reasonable offer of peace not being accepted; this was a month after his incendiary letter to the Munster chiefs. Russell answered that peace with his sovereign was a 'proud word,' and that he was sent to 'cherish the dutiful and correct the lewd, of which number thou art the ringleader... thy popish shavelings shall not absolve thee' (MSS. _Lansdowne_, vol. lxxxiv). Petition of Sir W. Russell in _Carew_, 1596, No. 253. As to the letters see Burghley to his son Robert, March 30, 1596, in Wright's _Elizabeth_ and elsewhere. On Oct. 22, 1596, Anthony Bacon wrote to his mother 'that from Ireland there were cross advertisements from the Lord Deputy on the one side, and Sir John Norris on the other, the first as a good trumpet, sounding continually the alarm against the enemy, the latter serving as a treble viol to invite to dance and be merry upon false hopes of a hollow peace, and that these opposite accounts made many fear rather the ruin than the reformation of the State, upon that infallible ground, _quod omne regnum divisum in se dissipabitur_'; which sums up the situation very well.--Birch's _Memoirs_, ii. 180.