re himself of anything by the
letters patent he had from the king. Whenever he had recourse to law
his proceedings were frustrated by the government; so that he could
not get the benefit of his majesty's laws, or the possession of his
lands; 'and yet any man, of what degree soever, obtained the extremity
of the law with favour against him, in any suit.' Although the king
had allowed him to be lieutenant of his country, yet he had no more
command there than his boy; the worst man that belonged to the sheriff
could command more than he, and that even in the earl's own house. If
they wanted to arrest any one in the house they would not wait till
he came out, but burst open the doors, and 'never do the earl so much
honour in any respect as once to acquaint him therewith, or to send to
himself for the party, though he had been within the house when they
would attempt these things; and if any of the earl's officers would
by his direction order or execute any matter betwixt his own tenants,
with their own mutual consent, they would be driven not only to
restore the same again, but also be first amerced by the sheriff, and
after indicated as felons, and so brought to trial for their lives
for the same; so as the earl in the end could scarce get any of his
servants that would undertake to levy his rents.' According to law the
sheriff should be a resident in the county, have property there, and
be elected by the nobility and chief gentlemen belonging to it; but
the law was set aside by the lord deputy, who appointed as sheriffs
for the counties Tyrone and Armagh Captain Edmund Leigh and one
Marmaduke Whitechurch, dwelling in the county of Louth, both being
retainers, and very dear friends to the Knight-marshal Bagenal, who
was the only man that urged the earl to his last troubles. Of all
these things 'the earl did eftsoons complain to the lord deputy,
and could get no redress, but did rather fare the worse for his
complaints, in respect they were so little regarded.'

[Footnote 1: Page 192.]

The earl understanding that earnest suit had been made to his majesty
for the presidentship of Ulster, made bold to write to the king,
humbly beseeching him not to grant any such office to any person over
himself, 'suspecting it would be his overthrow, as by plain experience
he knew the like office to be the utter overthrow of others of his
rank in other provinces within the realm of Ireland.' He also wrote
to the Earl of Salisbury, who re