year, 1580, upon
the descent of the Spanish and Italian forces in Ireland under the
Pope's banner, for the support of the Desmonds in their rebellion in
Munster, he had a captain's commission under the lord Grey of Wilton,
to whom at that time the famous Spenser was secretary; but the chief
services which, captain Raleigh performed, were under Thomas earl of
Ormond, governor of Munster. He surprized the Irish Kerns at Ramile,
and having inclosed them, took every rebel upon the spot, who did not
fall in the conflict. Among the prisoners there was one laden with
Withies, who being asked, what he intended to have done with them?
boldly answered, to have hung up the English Charles; upon which
Raleigh ordered him to be immediately dispatched in that manner, and
the rest of the robbers and murderers to be punished according to
their deserts[3]. The earl of Ormond departing for England in the
spring of the year 1581, his government of Munster was given to
captain Raleigh; in which he behaved with great vigilance and honour,
he fought the Arch rebel Barry at Clove, whom he charged with the
utmost bravery, and after a hard struggle, put to flight. In the month
of August, 1581, captain John Gouch being appointed Governour of
Munster by the Lord Deputy, Raleigh attended him in several journies
to settle and compose that country; but the chief place of their
residence was Cork, and after Gouch had cut off Sir John Desmond,
brother to the earl of Desmond, who was at the head of the rebellion,
he left the government of that city to Raleigh[4], whose company
being not long after disbanded upon the reduction of that earl, the
slaughter of his brother, and the submission of Barry, he returned to
England. The Lord Deputy Grey having resigned the sword in Ireland
towards the end of August, 1582, the dispute between him and Raleigh,
upon reasons which are variously assigned by different writers, was
brought to a hearing before the council table in England, where the
latter supported his cause with such abilities as procured him the
good opinion both of her Majesty, and the Lords of the Council, and
this, added to the patronage of the earl of Leicester, is supposed
to be one considerable occasion of his preferment, though it did not
immediately take place, nor could the hopes of it restrain him from
a second expedition with his brother Sir Humphry Gilbert to
Newfoundland, for which he built a ship of 200 tons called The Bark
Raleigh, and f