all Sir Nial O'Donel's lands, were excepted and kept from him,
together with the castle of Ballyshannon and 1,000 acres of land, and
the whole salmon-fishing of the river Erne, worth 800 l. a year, 'the
same castle being one of the earl's chieftest mansion houses.' They
also took from him 1,000 acres of his best land, and joined it to
the garrison of Lifford for the king's use, without any compensation.
There were seven sheriffs sent into Tyrconnel, by each of which there
was taken out of every cow and plough-horse 4 d., and as much out of
every colt and calf twice a year, and half-a-crown a quarter of every
shoemaker, carpenter, smith, and weaver in the whole country, and
eight pence a year for every married couple.'

Sir Nial O'Donel was committed to prison by Tyrconnel, for usurping
the title of O'Donel and taking his herds and tenants. 'He broke loose
from prison and killed some of his Majesty's subjects. For this the
earl prosecuted him under a special warrant from the lord deputy;
but notwithstanding all this, Carew gave warrants to Captains Pynnar,
Brook, and Bingley, to make reprisals upon the earl's tenants for the
pretender's use. Accordingly three English companies joining with nine
score of Sir Nial's men, seized and carried away 500 cows, 60 mares,
30 plough-horses, 13 horses, besides food and drink to support the
assailants for six weeks. They were guilty of many other extortions,
the country being extremely poor after the wars, and 17 of the earl's
tenants were hindered from ploughing that season. A certain horse-boy,
who was sentenced to be hanged for killing one Cusack, was promised
his life by Sir George Carew, if he accused Tyrconnel as having
employed him to commit the murder. The boy did make the accusation,
which served no purpose 'but to accelerate his hanging.' Thus
betrayed, he declared at the gallows, and in the presence of 400
persons, the sheriff of the county, and the portreve of Trim, he
retracted the false confession. A similar attempt was made with an
Englishman, who was kept a close prisoner without food, drink, or
light, in order to get him to accuse the earl of Cusack's murder.
All such, with many other of the said Carew's cruel and tyrannical
proceedings, the earl showed to the council in England, which promised
to give satisfaction by punishing the said Carew, who at his arrival
in England did rather obtain greater favours than any reprehension or
check of his doings, so as the earl