A blessing here to the Baron of Slane, and to (his wife) the daughter of the Earl; and tell them that I received the letters of the Deputy, from which I have understood that the Deputy is not willing to send myself, my man, or my letters, to bring my answer to the Queen, and that nothing will please him but to plant himself in my land and in my native territory, as I am told very day that he desires to be styled Earl of Ulster. And a good proof of this is, that, as soon as the Deputy came into Ireland, he who was bound to send me letters with affection to make known unto me his coming into Ireland, which I did not know, – in order that I might rejoice at his coming into Ireland, as I ought to do at the coming of the servant and representative of the Queen, – did not do so; on the contrary, the Deputy, as soon as he arrived, did not send me messengers or letters with the news of his arrival, but came at once into my country, to make a settlement in it, as he thinks he can. But it is certain that it is difficult to do this, God willing and I live, and as justice is particularly on my side; because, even if the best of the Clann O’Neill were dead together with myself, such of them as remained alive would not be encroached upon; for it was often attempted to take possession of their country, but it was never yet accomplished.

And I am complaining of it to you and to the chiefs of the Galls[1] of Ireland that it was not by my fault that any misfortune has happened above or below, and that it was not through malice that I did not go to visit the Queen, but that I was waiting to obtain a small sum of money on the security of honourable hostages of my people; for it is not with dishonour or ill-will that I should like to appear in the presence of the Queen, but with love, humility, and fidelity. And if it were the will of the Deputy now, after all the injuries he has done to me, such as his burning and demolishing of Armagh and the destroying of my own town, to take away his Saxons with him out of my country, I would set out as soon as I possibly could to visit the Queen; and if it so be that this is not pleasing to him, it is certain there is not among my adherents a man who would not defend me against him, and more especially yourself; but in my opinion neither you nor any other member of the Council has any influence with the Deputy; and if you have, it is a bad counsel for you not to receive me humbly into the service of the Queen; or otherwise you may be prevented by fear from giving him counsel. And we call God to witness that there is not among you a man (how great so ever be his obedience to the Queen) who is more anxious to show his humility and tender his services to her than myself, but that the Deputy is not pleased to receive it willingly from us. This is enough.

I am,
O’NEILL.

Seán Ó Néill Chuig Barún Bhaile Shláine.

Bendacht annso do chum in Bharuin Sláine ⁊ do chum inghine an iarla; ⁊ indis dóibh gur ghabh me literachadh in Iustís as ar thuig me nach toil leis in Iustís me féin, mo dhuine, no mo literachadh do chur re mo fhregra a g-cend na Banrighna, ⁊ nach áil leis ach gabhaltus do dhenamh in m’ fhearann ⁊ in mo dhuthaidh, amhuil mur indistear damh gach laoi gur ab áil leis Iarla Uladh da ghairm de; ⁊ is maith in derbhadh air sin comh luath ⁊ thanic in Iustís a n-Eirind, in té do dhlighfeadh literachadh maille re gradh do chur chugam-sa da chur a g-céill damh-sa a thecht a n-Eirind mur nach roibhe a fhis agam, indus go m-beith luathghair orm-sa fa n-a thecht a n-Eirind, mur bu chóir damh a bheith orm re techt óglaigh ⁊ fhir-inait na Banrighna, is é a chontrail so do rinne in Iustís; comh luath ⁊ thanic se a n-Eirind nir chuir techta no liter chugum-sa re sgeala é féin do thecht, ach thanic ar tús ind mo dhuthaidh do dheanamh gabhal-tuis indti dar leis féin; ⁊ is deimhin gur deacair sin do dhenamh, do thoil Dia ⁊ misi in mo bheathidh, ⁊ go formhór in chóir agam do letrom; ⁊ da m-beith in chuid is ferr do chlannaibh Néill ⁊ misi gan anmain, ni dhentai gabhaltus ar in chuid do bheith beó aca; ⁊ is minic a thairgeadh gabhaltus do dhenamh orra ⁊ nir criochnaidheadh sin ariamh aca.

Agus ataim-se ‘ga cosaide ribh-si ⁊ re maithibh Gall na h-Eirinn, nach me féin is cintach re dolaidh da n-dentai a bhos no thuas, ⁊ nach roibhe do mhailis orm-sa fa na dhul a ccend na Banrighna, ach fuireach re sochumail airgid d’fhaghail a ngeall air bhraigdibh onorach do mo mhuinntir; ⁊ ni maille re easonoir no re neamh-thoil do b’áil lium a dhul a bh-fiaghnise na Banrighna, ach maille re gradh ⁊ re h-umhlacht ⁊ re tairiseacht; ⁊ da mu thoil leis in Iustis anois tar éis gach dolaidh da n-dernadh dhamh-sa – mur ata Ardmacha do Iosgadh ⁊ do bhriseadh, ⁊ mo bhaile féin do bhriseadh damh – na Sasannaidh do bhreith chuigi as mo dhuthaidh, mur is luaithi d’fhedfaind do bhéind a triall a ccend na Banrighna; ⁊ ma atá nach toil leis sin, as deimhin nach bh-fuil da mhéd pairti rinn duine mach m-beithi do ar coimhed orm, ⁊ go formhór sibh-si féin; ⁊ dar lcam féin ni bh-fuil comhairle agaibh-si no aigi duine ele don Chomhairle ar Iustís, ⁊ ma atá is olc in comhairle dibh gan misi do ghabhail maille re h-umhlacht a serbhis na Banrighna, no ni leigenn egla duibh comhairle do thabhairt dó; ⁊ cuirmuít a fhiaghnuise ar Dia nach bhfuil agaibh (da mhéd ‘umhla don Bhanrighnain) duine is mó re miangas ⁊ is mó atá ar ti m’ umhlacht ⁊ mo sherbhis do thabhairt don Bhanrighain no misi, ach mu’r a beith in Iustís nach áil leis sin do ghabhail go toiltinneach uainn. Ni beg sin.

Misi,
Ó NÉILL.


[1] Galls: – Literally “foreigners,” meaning the old English settlers. The same term is still used.