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1600?
B. M.
Add. MSS.
28,420.
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674. Means for establishing the Catholic Religion in
Scotland. (fn. 1)
This enterprise will not require more than 3,000 men, who will
have to land on the islands of Orkney. These islands are naturally
strong, and may be made impregnable in a short time. They are
fertile, and abound in everthing necessary for the sustenance of the
above mentioned number of men. They are very near the strongholds
of the principal powerful Scottish Catholics, amongst whom is
my brother the earl of Caithness, who owns all the county of
Caithness, which is adjacent to the islands, and can aid us with
4,000 men, who will join us with others at once. After fortifying
the islands, they will go to Broughty, Dundee, and St. Johnstown
(Perth), all of which places are very easy to fortify and hold, as
they are divided from the mainland by the great river Forth, which
cannot be crossed by the enemy's cavalry, while the infantry will
not be able to harm us, as they will have to enter the country by
Mount Athol, which may be made inaccessible by the building of a
single fort capable of holding 300 men. Even, however, if we
were to give them admission, they would be quite powerless to
injure us, in consequence of the multitude of our friends and the
strength of the position. If they attempted to attack us by sea
they would be unable to raise a fleet so powerful as ours, unless the
whole country contributes thereto, which is impossible, unless the
Parliament be summoned ; and in such case, we, who are concerned
in this enterprise, will be in a majority, and the enemy will be
forced to grant liberty of conscience to the Catholics, or expose
themselves to ruin.
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The Advantages To Be Gained By The Enterprise.
Your Majesty will gain great honour and reputation for having
done so signal a service to God and His Church. You will drive all
your enemies into such straits and put them to such heavy expense
that they will have to spend more money in a year than they have
hitherto spent in many. The Hollanders will be forced to maintain
a fleet, not for robbery in the Indies, as heretofore, but for their own
defence, or else to see their fishing fleets in our seas captured, which
will mean for them a lack of supplies, ships, and seamen, as well as
suffering many other great injuries. In any case we can stop, or, at
least, suspend, their trade with Denmark, Hamburg, Lubeck, Bremen,
and Embden, without which they cannot live. The men of Dunkirk,
Nieuport, and the Sluys, who have now no port in which they may
enter, will then have the harbours of Orkney to the great injury of
the enemy.
As to the queen of England, if she will not make peace, she will
be exposed to dangers quite as great, and if she attempts to obstruct
our enterprise she will have to maintain three armies, two at sea,
one on the west coast, and one on the east, and a third for land,
which cannot do us much harm, as the Scots will not allow an
English force to enter Scotland, unless it he too small to be feared.
They would always be exposed to danger and expulsion when we
chose, in consequence of the enmity which has always existed
between the countries. In addition to this, the English Catholic
exiles may go thither and easily carry on such plans and negotiations
in God's service and your Majesty's as may greatly disturb the
queen of England. The Irish may also be aided and reinforced
whenever necessary.
As regards the king of France, the proposed enterprise is the only
means of frustrating his intentions. He will be forced to send
troops to Scotland if he sees your Majesty busy there, and he will
therefore be the less able to disturb your Majesty's dominions and
support your enemies. It must not be forgotten, also, that great
evil will ensue to the Church of God and this monarchy (Spain) if
the king of Scotland, a heretic, and confederate of all the enemies
of Spain, he able during the life of the Englishwoman to establish his
claim to the crown of England. If he be at peace when she dies,
he will have entered the country and ended his business before he
can be prevented by Spain. He will then be a greater enemy to
God and Spain than ever, since he will be very powerful by land
and sea, aided by Denmark, Holland, and the heretics.
If it be impossible at present to undertake this, it appears that,
as the king of Scotland has sent an ambassador to your Majesty,
another might be sent from here to him, not so much to receive
satisfaction from him, as to render him suspect by the queen of
England and other heretics, so that the result will be that he must
either throw himself into the arms of your Majesty or run the risk
of being deposed or killed by his own people. The ambassador
might also bring certain intelligence of what is here set forth, as
well as carry on negotiations with your Majesty's friends. There
are other points about which I cannot write, but reserve them for
verbal communication to your Majesty or your council.
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24 April.
Estado, 840.
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675. From Matthew (De Oviedo), Archbishop-elect of Dublin, to
Philip III.
I came to Ireland by your Majesty's orders to obtain full
information from the Catholics, and urge them to continued zeal in
the service of the faith and your Majesty. As Don Martin de la
Cerda is going to give your Majesty a detailed verbal statement of
everything, I need not trouble your Majesty with a long letter.
But I can assert that your Majesty has in this island the most
brave and faithful vassals that any king can have, such, indeed, that
if they were not already devoted to Spain, it would be necessary to
obtain their adhesion by all possible means.
As the oft-promised aid from Spain was hourly expected, when
we arrived with empty hands, only again to repeat the old promises,
they were overcome with sorrow and dismay, especially as they had
news of the enemy in force, both by land and sea. Although
O'Neil and O'Donnell are full of courage, they cannot prevail over
the other chiefs their followers, who fear the long delay in the
arrival of succour, and suspect that they are beings played with.
We have done our best to stiffen them by every possible argument,
assuring them of your Majesty's desire to help them, pointing out
the many costly attempts that have already been made to do so,
and again promising that succour shall be sent by your Majesty
with all speed. This has tranquillised them somewhat, and they
promise to wait five months, as they think that they cannot in any
case hold out longer than that without help, at least in money to pay
their men. They have done great things this summer, and O'Neil
has overrun all Munster and submitted it to your Majesty, whilst
O'Donnell has subjected Connaught. That your Majesty may understand
what you possess in these Catholic, I may say that O'Neil
had almost prevailed upon the earl of Essex to desert the Queen's
cause and join that of your Majesty, and surrender all the realm to
you. O'Neil in the course of the negotiations promised him, Essex,
on behalf of your Majesty, that you would show him signal favour,
and as Essex was distrustful in consequence of certain injuries he
had inflicted on Spain, O'Neil gave him his son as a hostage. What
more could the most loyal Spaniard have done? It is also certain
that very lately O'Neil was offered the surrender of the city of Cork,
but he had to refuse it, as he knew not how to hold it without
Spanish aid.
These and sixty other gentlemen met in this monastery of
Donegal, and they discussed matters not like savages, but like
prudent men. They received the chains and your Majesty's
portraits with great ceremony, saying they would wear no other
bonds nor chains than those your Majesty put upon them. They are
very grateful for the arms and munitioas, &c., and I, for my own
part, humbly supplicate your Majesty to bear in mind the great
importance of this business, for with 6,000 men you may carry
through an enterprise which will bridle English insolence in Flanders,
and secure Spain and the Indies from molestation. I refer for the
rest to Don Martin de la Cerda, who has acted in this mission with
great tact and prudence. I remain here (fn. 2) according to orders,
anxiously hoping to do good service to the church and your Majesty.
—Monastery of Donegal, 24th April 1600.
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26 April.
Estado, 840.
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676. O'Neil And O'Donnell to Philip III.
Rejoice greatly at the good news brought by his Majesty's
ambassadors. They (the Irish) are in the last extremity fighting
against so strong an enemy as England. Their estates, men, and
resources, are exhausted, and as his Majesty's aid is delayed from
day to day, after so many letters and messengers have been sent,
they are sure all spirits must fail, and they will have to give way
unless the succour reaches them this year. They cannot much
longer persuade their friends that aid will really come, and earnestly
beg that the expedition may be sent promptly. Without it all is
lost. Don Martin de la Cerda is taking a memorial of what will be
needed, and the sum of money wanted, if the army cannot come
this year. They thank the King for presents and portrait brought
by the archbishop, (fn. 3) and place the chains around their necks in
sign of your Majesty's favour to them. Pray answer their petition.
Their last letter remains unanswered, though they have held out six
months longer than they promised. Captain Cobos will confirm this.
God knows if it had not been for the service of God and Spain, they
would not have undertaken the war at all, as they could have lived
in peace.—Donegal, 26th April 1600.
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677. Summary of the Requests of O'Neil and O'Donnell to
the King.
That Maurice Geraldine, now a prisoner in Coruña on a charge of
participation in a riot, be released. This is recommended to be
granted.
That he, Maurice Geraldine, should go to Ireland with the
expedition.
That all Irish bishops and men of rank in Spain should accompany
the expedition.
That no person from Ireland should be admitted to any Spanish
port without a passport from O'Neil or O'Donnell.
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