ison
the persons of those whose estates they coveted.

In May, 1603, O'Neill had visited London, in company with Mountjoy and
Rory O'Donnell. The northern chieftains were graciously received; and it
was on this occasion that O'Neill renounced his ancient name for his new
titles. O'Donnell was made Earl of Tyrconnel at the same time. The first
sheriffs appointed for Ulster were Sir Edward Pelham and Sir John
Davies. The latter has left it on record, as his deliberate opinion,
after many years' experience, "that there is no nation of people under
the sun that doth love equal and indifferent justice better than the
Irish, or will rest better satisfied with the execution thereof,
_although it be against themselves, so that they may have the protection
and benefits of the law, when, upon just cause, they do desire it."_

A plot was now got up to entrap O'Neill and O'Donnell. Their complicity
in it has long been questioned, though Dr. O'Donovan appears to think
that Moore has almost decided the question against them. Moore's
evidence, however, is hardly complete, while there is unquestionable
authority which favours the opinion that "artful Cecil" was intriguing
to accomplish their destruction. Curry says, in his _Historical Review_:
"The great possessions of these two devoted Irish princes, proved the
cause of their ruin. After the successful issue of the plot-contriving
Cecil's gunpowder adventure in England, he turned his inventive thoughts
towards this country. A plot to implicate the great northern chieftains
was soon set on foot, and finally proved successful. The conspiracy is
thus related by a learned English divine, Dr. Anderson, in his _Royal
Genealogies_, printed in London, 1736: 'Artful Cecil employed one St.
Lawrence to entrap the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnel, the Lord Delvin,
and other Irish chiefs, into a sham plot, which had no evidence but
his.'"

The next movement was to drop an anonymous letter at the door of the
council-chamber, mentioning a design, as then in contemplation, for
seizing the Castle of Dublin, and murdering the Lord Deputy. No names
were mentioned, but it was publicly stated that Government had
information in their possession which fixed the guilt of the conspiracy
on the Earl of Tyrone. His flight, which took place immediately after,
was naturally considered as an acknowledgment of his guilt. It is more
probable that the expatriation was prompted by his despair.

The Four Masters give