The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part D.: From Elizabeth to James I.
David Hume · en
Sir Thomas Randolph was sent by the queen to intercede in favor of
Morton; and that ambassador, not content with discharging this duty of
his function, engaged, by his persuasion, the earls of Argyle,
Montrose, Angus, Marre, and Glencairne, to enter into a confederacy for
protecting, even by force of arms, the life of the prisoner. The more
to overawe that nobleman’s enemies, Elizabeth ordered forces to be
assembled on the borders of England; but this expedient served only to
hasten his sentence and execution. Morton died with that constancy and
resolution which had attended him through all the various events of
his life; and left a reputation which was less disputed with regard
to abilities than probity and virtue. But this conclusion of the scene
happened not till the subsequent year.
Elizabeth was, during this period, extremely anxious on account of
every revolution in Scotland; both because that country alone, not being
separated from England by sea, and bordering on all the Catholic and
malecontent counties, afforded her enemies a safe and easy method of
attacking her; and because she was sensible that Mary, thinking herself
abandoned by the French monarch, had been engaged by the Guises to have
recourse to the powerful protection of Philip, who, though he had not
yet come to an open rupture with the queen, was every day, both by the
injuries which he committed and suffered, more exasperated against her.
That he might retaliate the assistance which she gave to his rebels in
the Low Countries, he had sent, under the name of the pope; a body
of seven hundred Spaniards and Italians into Ireland; where the
inhabitants, always turbulent, and discontented with the English
government, were now more alienated by religious prejudices, and were
ready to join every invader. The Spanish general, San Josepho, built a
fort in Kerry; and being there besieged by the earl of Ormond, president
of Munster, who was soon after joined by Lord Gray, the deputy, he made
a weak and cowardly defence. After some assaults, feebly sustained, he
surrendered at discretion; and Gray, who commanded but a small force,
finding himself encumbered with so many prisoners, put all the Spaniards
and Italians to the sword without mercy, and hanged about fifteen
hundred of the Irish; a cruelty which gave great displeasure to
Elizabeth.[*]