Catalogue description SIR ROBERT CECIL to SIR GEORGE CAREW.

I have not heard from you since Arthur arrived with too news of your good success in Kerry. You have been supplied with all you ask. Desmond is to be sent to you forthwith, unless some advertisement dissuade it. A patent is drawn and ready to be signed for his earldom; you are to deliver it to him if you "see a party likely to come to him." Her Majesty is doubtful "whether he may not prove a Robin Hood as well as the other, of whose abatement there is hope by your labour, though this gentleman should never be sent;" and whether by sending and creating him she may not "run the danger of a scorn " if no great matter should follow. Use him as you think good. "Although it seems you could have been content to have only had him as a prisoner, yet my Lords, out of desire to ease your works, have won some better conditions of her Majesty, for he shall go ... well accompanied, and some gentleman (not as a jailor, but as his friend) shall bring him to you."

Out of other parts of Ireland we hear nothing but well. Since the plantation at Lough Foyle the traitors have kept at home, which has enabled the Deputy to do good service in the Pale and in Lease and Ophaly. The Queen's army is 16,000 foot. Lately we sent over 2,000 under captains and 800 for Lough Foyle, "and 600 that are at the water-side for you."

In Lough Foyle they have made good and strong lodgings before the winter, having fortified well at the Derry; and, since Sir Arthur O'Neale came to them, planted another garrison at Donelonge, four miles from Strabane. But they have done nothing of importance ; and of late they suffered O'Donnell to come in the night and take 60 of their best horses, when Sir Henry Dockwra fell into an ambuscado and was wounded. MacSwyne Ne Do, a principal actor in this practice, was taken and sent to Dublin, "where I trust a halter will save her Majesty's pension." Sir Arthur O'Neale remains constant, but few or none are come in to him. We expect to hear the garrison is planted at Armagh, where it is intended to leave 1,000 foot and 100 horse.

The rebels gave out in the North that a fleet of Spaniards was arrived in O'Donnell's country, but it is proved a fable. I am confident none will arrive this summer in Ireland.

"Our Commissioners have broken off the treaty in France only upon point of precedency, wherein although it is true that her Majesty stood (somewhat too long) to have it with so proud a nation, yet at the last her Majesty was contented to have yielded to an equality; but they in the end protested, that if it were not to prejudice them towards France (with whom they contend for preseance) to grant to England an equality, which giveth a priority to France, such was their desire to have had peace upon honorable conditions, as although they were absolutely forbidden to remain in Bollen, yet if, upon the return of her Majesty's Commissioners into England, she would be pleased to procure the Low Countries to join in the treaty, they would meet in any of the towns in Holland, and give the precedence; or, if her Majesty could not procure a joint treaty (if she would send to Wynoxberges or any of the Archduke's towns), they would give her also the precedency." The treaty was prolonged for 60 days in which the Queen might consider of her answer.

Thus you see "there is yet a kind of vegetation which we will keep on foot;" but I fear they are not so anxious for peace as at first, either because they think her Majesty is sufficiently entangled with Ireland, or hope to prevail over the Low Countries, who every day grow worse. They made no use of their victory before Newport, for they sat down before a great fort called Albertus, which hindered their siege of Newport, while the enemy drew head again. The States' army was forced to raise the siege, and left Flanders wholly, coming back quietly into Zealand. "There is a great pique between the States and Count Maurice, he protesting that he liked not to besiege Dunkirk, but that it had been better to have gone to Sluce; they on the other side taxing him for no better following of the victory. Holland and Zealand are now at pique for contributions.

"The likelihood of those cold wars makes the Earls of Northumberland, Rutland, and Grey to repent their journey, being half in mind to go into France, where there is some appearance of a war, whereby Spain may be lapped into the quarrel. For the French King being now on the frontier, thinking to have taken possession of the Marquisate of Saluce (according to the Duke of Savoy's agreement), the Duke made so many delays from 20 days to 20 days, as in the end the King sent Marshal Byron into Bresse, where he spoiled much of the country, and hath taken Bourge. On the other side De Degueres entered into Savoy, and hath taken Chambery and Mount Melion. I am persuaded that the only end of this will be that the King shall have the Marquisate rendered for these places lately taken, and so the Pope to reconcile the matter; for were it not for that moderator, we might have some little hope that Spain and France would go together. The King marrieth in October at Lyons, and yet hath made Madame de Entragues Marquise of Vernueil.

"Out of Scotland we have received advertisement very fresh and true, that the King was attempted to be slain by the Earl Gowry and his brother, whereof one of them assailed him in his chamber, when the King lay in the Earl's house at St. Johnstone's, but he was slain by the King's people, and so was his brother also. This Earl was of the religion, and a very gallant gentleman. The causes of his discontentment are not known, but it is said he did it in revenge of his father's death, whom this King executed. But whatsoever it was, God forbid but all such barbarous attempts should pay just ransom.

"Of our home fortunes one (whereof I am sure you will be glad to hear) is this, that the Earl of Essex (upon his humble petition to the Queen to have so much favour as to be licensed to go into the country, in respect that his health began to decay,) it pleased her to grant him liberty to go into Oxfordshire to one of his uncle's houses, with this commandment, that although she is contented he shall hold himself to be under no guard (but the guard of duty and discretion), yet he must in no sort take himself to be freed of her Majesty's indignation, in which respect he is commanded to forbear to presume to approach the Court or her person. That distinction of being free from guard but under indignation makes very few resort to him but those who are of his blood, amongst which I imagine you think Lord Henry Howard will not be long from him. Concerning ourselves we are all as we were. Sir Walter Raleigh hath been here a suitor for the captainship of the Isle of Jersey (Sir Anthony Paulett being dead). He hath very good hope, though my Lord Henry Seymour doth earnestly stand for it. My Lord Cobham (since his journey into Flanders) is a courtier, and doth marry at Michaelmas. My Lord Thomas [Howard?] hath been away all this summer in Devonshire, from whence he hath brought up my Lady Bevill, who is widow."

From the Court at Oatlands, 29 August 1600.

Signed: "Your affectionate friend, that longeth and careth for you,--Ro. Cecyll."

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, ed. J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen (6 vols., 1867-73), vol. III, document 445.