n the dominion of the said Earl, which
Earl hath, for the victualling of his castle of Dungarvan, taken a ship
charged with Spanish wines, that was bound to the town of Galway; and
albeit that his years requireth quietness and rest, yet intendeth he as
much trouble as ever did any of his nation."--William Wise, Mayor of
Waterford, to Cromwell, July 12, 1534: _State Papers_, Vol. II. p. 198.

[329] On the 21st of July, O'Brien of Thomond wrote the following
characteristic letter to Charles:--

_Corny O'Brien, Prince of Ireland, to the Emperor Charles V._

"July 21, 1534.

"To the most sacred and most invincible Caesar, Charles Emperor of the
Romans, Most Catholic King of Spain, health with all submission.--Most
sacred Caesar, lord most clement, we give your Majesty to know that our
predecessors for a long time quietly and peacefully occupied Ireland,
with constancy, force, and courage, and without rebellion. They
possessed and governed this country in manner royal, as by our ancient
chronicles doth plainly appear. Our said predecessors and ancestry did
come from your Majesty's realm of Spain, where they were of the blood of
a Spanish prince, and many Kings of that lineage, in long succession,
governed all Ireland happily, until it was conquered by the English. The
last King of this land was of my blood and name; and ever since that
time our ancestors, and we ourselves, have ceased not to oppose the
English intruders; we have never been subject to English rule, or
yielded up our ancient rights and liberties; and there is at this
present, and for ever will be, perpetual discord between us, and we will
harass them with continual war.

"For this cause, we, who till this present, have sworn fealty to no man,
submit ourselves, our lands, our families, our followers, to the
protection and defence of your Majesty, and of free will and deliberate
purpose we promise to obey your Majesty's orders and commands in all
honest behests. We will serve your Majesty with all our force; that is
to say, with 1660 horse and 2440 foot, equipped and armed. Further, we
will levy and direct for your Majesty's use 13,000 men, well armed with
harquebuss, bows, arrows, and swords. We will submit to your Majesty's
will and jurisdiction more than a hundred castles, and they and all else
shall be at your Majesty's disposition to be employed as you shall
direct.

"We can undertake also for the assistance and support of our good
brother the Ea