- FIRST, that they should faithfullie and earnestlie regard the due and reuerend Gods lawes to be kept, and christian religion to be vsed. obseruation of all Gods lawes and ordinances, made and established for the maintenance of the true christian faith and religion among hir people; and that all meanes should be vsed, aswell by doctrine and by teaching, as by good examples, that deuotion and godlinesse might increase, and contempt of religion might be restreined, punished, and suppressed. That learning in the scriptures might be Learning of the scriptures to be mainteined. mainteined and increased among the cleargie, and that for the reliefe of the ecclesiasticall state, no alienations nor wasts of the lands perteining to anie church or college, The church lands not to be alienated. should be alienated: neither anie impropriations of benefices be put in vre: besides sundrie other articles incident to this effect.
- The second was, that the administration of law and iustice should dulie and The lawes to be dulie administred. vprightlie be executed, without respect of persons: that inquirie be made what notable faults are in anie of the iudges, or other ministers of the law: that vnfit persons maie be remoued from their places, and some sufficient persons of English birth be chosen to supplie the same. That shiriffes be appointed and renewed in Shiriffes to be appointed in euerie shire. euerie countie, and to execute their offices vprightlie, according to the lawes of England.
- The third, that the garrisons and men of warre be well ordered to the benefit The garisons to be looked vnto. of the realme, and repressing of disordered subiects and rebels: that they doo line according to the orders appointed, without oppression of the good and true subiects. That there shall be once within a moneth at the least a muster made A muster to be kept euerie moneth. either by the lord deputie, or by such commissioners as he shall appoint méete and indifferent for that purpose; who shall make inquirie of the number of the souldiors vnder euerie capteine; for the sufficiencie of their persons, their horsses, armors, and weapons, and other their necessaries: and how they were paied of their wages, and whether they were Englishmen or not.
- The fourth article was, whether there had béene had a due care & regard to the A due regard to be had of hir maiesties reuenues. preseruation of the reuenues of the crowne, & for the recouerie of that which is withdrawne. And whether euerie of the officers appointed for the receiuing of anie part of the said reuenues, as namelie the receiuers of rents, shiriffes, exchetors, That euerie officer of receipts doo yearelie make his account. collectors of the subsidies, customors, clerks of the crowne, of the hamper, and of the first fruits, and the farmers of customes and such others, did yearelie make and answer their accounts; and besides sundrie other articles incident to euerie of these principals.
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AFTER the death of king Henrie the eight, sir Anthonie Sentleger knight, was
Sir Anthonie Sentleger reuoked.
1547
Sir Edward Bellingham made lord deputie.
reuoked; who deliuered vp the sword at his departure vnto sir William Brabston
knight; and he was lord iustice, vntill such time as sir Edward Bellingham was sent
ouer to be deputie. This man was seruant to king Edward the sixt, and of his
priuie chamber: a man verie well learned, graue and wise, and therewith stout &
valiant, and did verie worthilie direct his gouernment. In his time there was a mint
A mint in Dublin.
kept in the castell of Dublin, which being at his commandement, he was the better
able to doo good seruice to the king his maiestie, and to the benefit of that realme.
In the ciuill gouernment he was carefull to place learned and wise magistrats, vnto
Sir Edward Bellinghams carefulnesse in gouernement.
whome he had a speciall eie for the dooing of their offices; as he had the like care
for good and expert capteins, to serue in the martiall affaires. And for the more
spéedie seruice to be doone therein at all times needfull, he kept sundrie stables of
Sundrie stables of horsses kept.
horsses: one at Leighlin, one at Lex, and some in one place and some in another,
as he thought most méet for seruice. And whatsoeuer he had to doo, or what
seruice soeuer he meant to take in hand, he was so secret, and kept the same so
His secrecie in his seruice.
priuie, as none should haue anie vnderstanding thereof, before the verie instant of
the seruice to be doone; and for the most part, whensoeuer he tooke anie iournie in
hand, his owne men knew not whither, or to what place he would ride, or what he
would doo. It happened that vpon some occasion he sent for the earle of Desmond,
who refused to come vnto him. Wherevpon calling vnto him his companie as he
thought good, and without making them acquainted what he minded to doo, tooke
horsse & rode to Leighlin bridge. The abbeie there (being suppressed) he caused
Leighlin abbeie inclosed with a wall and made a fort.
to be inclosed with a wall, and made there a fort. In that house he had a stable of
twentie or thirtie horsses, and there he furnished himselfe and all his men with
horsses and other furniture, and foorthwith rode into Mounster, vnto the house of the
earle, being then Christmas; and being vnlooked and vnthought of, he went in to
The earle of Desmond taken in his house.
the earle, whome he found sitting by the fire, and there tooke him, and caried him
with him to Dublin.
This earle was verie rude both in gesture and in apparell, hauing for want of good
The earle is rude without nurture.
The earle instructed in ciuilitie.
nurture as much good maners as his Kerns and his followers could teach him.
The deputie hauing him at Dublin, did so instruct, schoole, and informe him, that
he made a new man of him, and reduced him to a conformitie in maners, apparell,
and behauiours apperteining to his estate and degree; as also to the knowledge of his
dutie and obedience to his souereigne & prince; and made him to knéele vpon his
knées sometimes an houre togither, before he knew his dutie. This though it were
verie strange to the earle, who hauing not béene trained vp in anie ciuilitie, knew
not what apperteined to his dutie and caning: neither yet of what autheritie and
maiestie the king his souereigne was; yet when he had well digested and considered
of the matter, he thought himselfe most happie that euer he was acquainted with
the said deputie, and did for euer after so much honor him, as that continuallie all
his life time at euerie dinner and supper, he would praie for the good sir Edward
The earle praieth for sir Edward Bellingham.
Bellingham: and at all callings he was so obedient and dutifull, as none more in that
land.
This sir Edward lord deputie, when and where soeuer he trauelled, he would be
The lord deputie would be chargeable to none.
chargeable to no man; but would be at his owne charge. It happened that trauelling
the countrie, he was lodged on a night in vicount Baltinglasses house, where all
things were verie plentifullie prouided for him: which the vicount thought to haue
giuen and bestowed vpon his lordship: but at his departure, he commanded his
steward to paie & discharge all things, thanking the vicount for his courtesie, but
refused his interteinement; saieng: "The king my maister hath placed me here to
serue him, and alloweth me therein for my charges and expenses: wherefore, I
neither maie nor will be burdenous nor chargable to anie other man." He was verie
exquisit & carefull in the gouernement, as few before him the like; aswell in matters
martiall, as politike, magnanimous and couragious: in the one, to the appalling of
The good gouernement of this deputie.
the enimie; and as seuere & vpright in the other, to the benefit of the commonwelth.
For neither by flatterie could he be gained, nor by briberie be corrupted; he was
feared for his seueritie, and beloued for his integritie; and no gouernor for the most
Sir Edward Bellingham well beloued.
vniuersallie better reported of than was he. But as vertue hath the contrarie to
enimie, so he found it true: for he was so enuied at, and that rebellious nation not
brooking so woorthie a man, who trauelled all the waies he could to reduce them to
the knowledge of themselues, and of their duties; and also to reforme that corrupt
state of gouernement, that great practises and deuises were made for his reuocation;
and matters of great importance informed and inforced against him. Wherevpon,
before two yeares ended of his gouernement, he was reuoked, and sir Francis Brian
1548
Sir Francis Brian lord iustice.
made lord iustice. At his comming into England, great matters were laid vnto his
charge: but he so effectuallie did answer the same, that his maiesties doubtfulnesse
was resolued; & he not onelie cléered, but also better liked than euer he was before,
& should haue béne sent backe againe, had he not alleged his infirmitie; the which
was a fistula, and other good reasons, which were accepted for his excuse. Sir
Sir Francis Brian maried the countes of Ormond, died and was buried at Waterford.
1549
Sir William Brabston lord iustice.
1550
Sir Anthonie Sentleger lord deputie the second time.
Francis Brian had maried the countesse of Ormond, and by that meanes he was a
dweller in that land: where he died & was buried in the citie of Waterford. His
time of iusticeship was but short, & no great matters could in so short a time
be doone by him. After his death, sir William Brabston had the sword deliuered
vnto him, and he continued lord iustice, vntill that sir Anthonie Sentleger came
ouer, who was now lord deputie the second time: who notwithstanding by his
knowledge & experience he had good skill and did well gouerne: yet there remained
some coles of the fire in his first gouernement vnquenched; and within a shorter time
1551
Sir Iames Crofts lord deputie.
than thought of, he was reuoked: and sir Iames Crofts was sent ouer to supplie
the place; his euill successes in good attempts did not answer his valour and good
deserts.
And albeit the time of his gouernement were not long, yet it continued vntill the
death of king Edward the sixt, and then he was called home, and sir Thomas
Cusacke and sir Gerard Elmer were appointed lords iustices, who iointlie gouerned
1552
Sir Anthonie Sentleger lord deputie the third time.
the estate, vntill quéene Marie sent ouer sir Anthonie Sentleger; who now the third
time was lord deputie. This man ruled and gouerned verie iustlie and vprightlie in
a good conscience, and being well acquainted in the courses of that land, knew how
to meete with the enimies, and how to staie all magistrates and others in their duties
and offices: for which though he deserued well, and ought to be beloued and commended:
yet the old practises were renewed, and manie slanderous informations
were made and inueighed against him: which is a fatall destinie, and ineuitable to
A fatall destinie to euerie good gouernor to be slandered.
euerie good gouernor in that land. For the more paines they take in tillage, the
worse is their haruest; and the better be their seruices, the greater is the malice and
enuie against them; being not vnlike to a fruitefull apple trée, which the more
apples he beareth, the more cudgels be hurled at him. Well, this man is called
1555
The lord Fitzwaters made lord deputie.
home, and the lord Thomas Fitzwaters was made lord deputie. At sir Anthonies
comming ouer, great matters were laid to his charge, and manie heauie aduersaries
he had, which verie eagerlie pursued the same against him: wherein he so answered,
that he was not onelie acquited; but also gained his discharge for euer to passe
ouer anie more into so vnthankefull a land.
The lord Fitzwaters being lord deputie, after a short time of his being there, was
1555
Sir Henrie Sidneie and Corwen lords iustices.
sent for into England. And in his absence, sir Henrie Sidneie then treasuror at
warres, and doctor Corwen, were for a time ioint lords iustices: but verie shortlie
after, a commission was sent to sir Henrie Sidneie to be sole lord iustice, and so
continued alone vntill the lord Fitzwaters, now earle of Sussex, came againe and
resumed his former office of deputie. After that he was come ouer, he had somewhat
to doo with the Oneile. For the whole north part of Ireland began to be
The Oneile and all the north be vnquiet.
vnquieted, and for preuenting of sundrie inconueniences, which might grow by the
Scotish Ilanders in aiding the said Oneile, the lord deputie made a iourneie and
voiage into the said Iles, to ioine them into his friendship. In his absence, he constituted
sir Henrie Sidneie lord iustice; but after that he had doone his businesse,
he returned againe to Dublin, where he remained and continued in his office vntill
1556
Sir Henrie Sidneie lord iustice the fourth time.
1557
The earle of Sussex lord lieutenant.
The Oneile taken and kept in prison.
1564
Sir Nicholas Arnold lord iustice.
1565
Sir Henrie Sidneie lord deputie.
the death of quéene Marie, and then he passed ouer into England, and left sir Henrie
Sidneie to be lord iustice now the fourth time. And after some time spent there,
and quéene Elisabeth now setled in the imperiall crowne of England, she sent ouer
the said earle as lieutenant of Ireland to performe those seruices, which before he
had taken in hand: who did verie great good seruice against the Irishrie, and by
meanes he tooke the Oneile, and kept him prisoner in the castell of Dublin: but yet
before he could or did bring the same to perfection, he was reuoked into England,
and left the land in a verie broken state; which was committed to sir Nicholas
Arnold, & he was made lord iustice. But his gouernement being not well liked,
choise was made by hir maiestie and the councell of sir Henrie Sidneie, now knight
of the honorable order of the garter, to supplie that place, who then was lord president
of Wales.
This man had béene before a long seruitour to that realme, hauing for sundrie
yeares béene treasuror at warres, which is the second office vnder the lord deputie in
that land; as also had béene lord iustice solie and iointlie foure times. Great was
his knowledge, wisedome, and experience both of that land, and of the nature,
manners, and disposition of the people: wherein the more he excelled anie others
in those daies, the more apt and fit was he to haue the gouernement of them. He
was therefore called from out of Wales, where he then resided in his gouernement
Sir Henrie Sidneie lord president of Wales.
vnto the court: and there after conference had with hir highnesse, and with the
councell; he was appointed to be lord deputie of Ireland, being the seuenth yeare
of hir maiesties reigne, in the yeare of our Lord 1565. And then he receiued of
hir maiestie a booke of instructions signed with hir owne hand, dated the fift of
A booke of articles deliuered to sir Henrie Sidneie for his gouernement.
October 1565, the seuenth yeare of hir reigne aforesaid, concerning the principall
articles for his gouernement & direction, which chieflie consisted in these points.
First, that there should be a bodie of a councell established, to assist him being
A councell to be established.
lord deputie, in the gouernement of the same realme in times of peace and of warre;
and whose names were then particularlie set downe: and order giuen, that euerie of
them should before their admission be sworne by the said lord deputie, according to
Euerie councellor to be sworne.
the accustomed manner: with an exhortation, that for somuch as hir maiestie had
reposed a speciall trust and confidence in their wisedomes, aduises, good counsels,
and seruices: he the lord deputie should vse their aduises, assistance, and counsels
in all matters of treatie and consultation, concerning the state of that realme.
And they likewise, considering the place and authoritie wherevnto hir maiestie
had called the said sir Henrie Sidneie, to hold hir place in that realme: they should
yéeld that obedience and reuerence vnto him, as to such a principall officer dooth
apperteine. And then they both togither, to haue a speciall care and regard to the
gouernement, which was comprised in foure articles that doo orderlie hereafter
follow.
Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Raphaell Holinshed. William Harrison. Richard Stanyhurst. John Hooker. Francis Thynne. Abraham Fleming. John Stow. Henry Ellis. Ellis Edition. J. Johnson. London. 1807.
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