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
'Landed gentlemen,' says Sidney Smith, 'have molar teeth, and
are destitute of the carnivorous and incisive jaws of political
adventurers.' The Munster proprietors held aloof with the Earl of
Desmond, 'letting "I dare not" wait upon "I would,"' while the landless
men followed his bolder and more unscrupulous brother. When Fitzmaurice
disembarked, Desmond had 1,200 men with him; shortly after the murder
of Davells he had less than 60; but Sir John was soon at the head of
a large force. The activity of Maltby not only prevented any rising
in Connaught, but also made it impossible for Scots to enter Munster.
He lay at Limerick waiting till Drury was ready, and when the latter,
who was ill, came to Limerick at the risk of his life, it was Maltby
who entered the woods and drove the rebels from place to place. For
a time Fitzmaurice and his cousin kept together, though it may be
that the latter's savagery was disagreeable to the man who had seen
foreign courts, and who was evidently sincerely religious, though the
English accused him of hypocrisy. According to Russell, who gives
details which are wanting elsewhere, the two marched together unopposed
into the county of Limerick, where one of Sir John's men outraged a
camp-follower. Fitzmaurice ordered him for execution, but Sir John,
'little regarding the Pope's commission, and not respecting murder or
rape,' refused to allow this, and Fitzmaurice, seeing that he could not
maintain discipline, departed with a few horsemen and kernes, nominally
on a pilgrimage to Holy Cross Abbey, really perhaps to enter Connaught
through Tipperary and Limerick, and thus get into Maltby's rear. In
doing so he had to pass through the territory of a sept of Burkes, of
whom some had been with him in his former enterprise. Fitzmaurice was
in want of draught animals, and took two horses out of the plough.
The poor peasants raised an alarm, and at a ford some miles south of
Castle Connell the chief's son Theobald, who was learned in the English
language and law, and who may have had Protestant leanings, appeared
with a strong party. He was already on the look-out, and had summoned
MacBrien to his aid.
[Sidenote: Death of Fitzmaurice.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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