Other Letters

SIR ARTHUR CHICHESTER to the EARL OF SALISBURY, 14th of June 1606
Wishes that Mr. Hamilton, who twelve months since was recommended thither by letters from His Majesty for passing (amongst others) the lands of the Upper Clandeboy and Great Ardes, were countenanced in his courses to plant and settle them. The lands are for the most part mere waste and wilderness, and the planting of them with civil people will be a principal service to His Majesty in that corner of the kingdom.

He is the more to be favoured for his willingness to pleasure some English gentlemen and officers, in passing their estates in fee farm in other lands in the Lower Clandeboy, which he passed upon his book to His Majesty's advantage in raising a good rent, besides a clause for building of castles. The rent will be assuredly paid henceforth, which was formerly but promised, and the castles will be a great countenance and strength to the country, which hath been waste of long time. The business has been effected, without grudge or offence to any of the Irish Lords or gentlemen formerly pretending title to the same, by reason they had passed good quantities to themselves at easy rents by virtue of His Majesty's letters. If the like course had been taken with the Roote and Glynnes before it had been wholly passed to Sir Randall M'Donell, there would have been as great hope of the perfect reformation of that government as of any in the kingdom; and His Majesty would have had the hearts and services of many his good subjects within that country, where now that gentleman is neither thankful nor obedient, as some late actions of his brothers, upon his command, hath laid open, as Mr. Hamilton could at large Salisbury.

Chichester, for some respects, had borne with him and his misdemeanors theretofore; but conceived that there would be means found to enforce him to what was fitting, to the bett.er settlement thereof, by creating to be freeholders immediately from the King, some of the ancient inhabitants who then were as slaves unto him, and yet leaving large quantities of land to himself. By this means all the seaside on the eastern parts from the river of the Bann to this city, would be civilly planted, and His Majesty's rents increased and truly answered, whereas he is a suitor to have them daily abated. Induced by His Majesty's letters requiring him to be favourably used, Chichester had granted him two years' rent, which was £20l; yet he was not satisfied, but immediately sought to have 40l of his yearly rent abated for ever, when the whole is but 160l., for 16 small baronies containing above 30 miles in length lying together, and as good as any in thole parts of the kingdom. This he had gottim from His Majesty by mere suggestion, as his ancient inheritance, whereas his father held only four toughes of the M'Quyllins' lands by grant from the Deputy, which by light (if any were) should have descended to the son of his elder brother Sir James, the dispossessing of whose children and thrusting the M'Quyllins clean out of all, would in time raise trouble in those parts; yet (as in some former letters he had signified to Salisbury), Chichester had given the M'Quyllins some poor contentment by seating them in land in the Lower Clan de boy. Refers him to Mr. Hamilton for more particular information.

Dublin Castle, 14 June 1606.
Pp. 3. Signed. Sealed. .Add. Endd.:
"Sir Arthur Chichester to the Earl of Salisbury."

The EARL OF TYRONE to the KING, 17th June 1606
 Had presumed by his letters written in December last, to complain to His Majesty of the hard courses held. against him. before the present Lord Deputy's time, by sundry persons that have pryed so nicely into his late patent, that, unless it please His Majesty to explain his royal meaning in expounding his patent, those courses would work the overthrow of his estate. For divers offices has been found and returned without the privity of the Lord Deputy then governing, by juries impannelled unawares of him (Tyrone). But having received no answers to his letters, and finding the now Lord Deputy very upright, he renews his most humble suit. And inasmuch as the chief ground of such as sought to take his living from him; rose upon colour of terming divers parcels of his inheritance to be monasteries, flianes, and of abbey land; and as the Bishops of Clogher and Dirry, where their predecessors had only chief rent, would now have the land itself; he besought the King to stop any such mean courses, and force them to be contented with what their predecessors had formerly enjoyed these many years past.

Dungannon, 17 June 1606
P. 1. Signed. Sealed. Add. Endd.
"The Earl of Tirone to the King's Majesty."