The humble petition of Hugh Erle of Tirone to the Lord Lievtenaunt generall of her majesties army.
Item first that all the inhabitaunts of Irland may have free libertie of conscience, or at least wise the benefit of her majesties positive lawe, without being combined with the law of reason.
Item that it may please her maiestie to graunt unto him & unto all that remayne in Tirone, her highnes most gracious pardon, together with satisfying any defect of all former graunts passed to his lordship that hath growen by these late accions; as also that he may be (by act of parliament) restored to his blood & dignity.
Item that it may please her maiestie for that the abuses of her bad officers hathe been the beginning of all these troubles and the Irishrye cannot away with the rigour of law, upon everye smale occasion, there bringing up being barberous, to graunt unto his lordship authority that Tirone may be made a countie palintyne, as the like is graunted to the others in Irland.
Item, it may please her highnes to withdraw her garrisons from Tirone and all other parts of the Irishrye, for that they are so terrified as they will not yet accompt them selves in safetie, so long as her maiesties forces are so nere at hand.
Item, that, in asmoch as there past an othe between the Erle and the Irishry that took parte with him in this accion, that he wold take no agreement for himself unles that every of them upon their severall submissions, have her maiesties most gracious pardon and their predecessors lands, they paying unto her highnes all ancient rights & services that were accustomed. Therle most humbly craveth that the same may be graunted unto them, and that the Moores & Connors to have a reasonable porcion of their predecessors lands, as shalbe agreed upon by your lordship, by lord of Meath & by him.
Item that he may have the first pledges that he delivered in, who were not to contynue but for the performance of the first truce taken between the lord generall Norreys & him, and also that the last pledges may be exchanged for other pledges, as at there delivering in was agreed upon.
Endorsed – ‘Therle of Tirones requestes. suppressed’.
SP 63/201 no.114
SP63/201, no.117(iii) the same in Fenton’s hand, endorsed ‘Certaine insolent peticions offered by Tyrone to the Lord Lieftenaunt Generall, 23 Decembris 1597’
SP 63/201, no.122(i) the same signed by Jones marked ‘copia vera’