[207] Walsingham's opinion and other papers in April 1587; Lord Deputy and Council to the Privy Council, March 31 and May 15, 1589; Kildare to Burghley, May 31, 1590; Tyrone's answer to Articles, March 19, 1590. All Fitzwilliam's letters during this period bear out the text; see the _Four Masters_, who say Hugh Gavelagh was greatly lamented, and O'Donovan's notes under 1590.
[208] Archbishop Magrath's report to the Queen, May 30, 1592; for Sir Arthur O'Neill see Tirlogh Luineach's petition, July 1, 1587; for the MacShanes see Tyrone's answer to Articles, March 19, 1590, and the opinion of Coke, S.G., Aug. 13, 1592.
[209] The O'Donnell tangle may be understood from Archbishop Magrath's report, May 30, 1592, and from the Appendix to O'Donovan's _Four Masters_ See also Fitzwilliam, Loftus, and Fenton to the Privy Council, Dec. 31, 1588.
[210] _Four Masters_, 1587; Perrott's _Life_, p. 278; Tyrone to Walsingham, Dec. 10, 1587.
[211] _Four Masters_, 1590; Note of pledges in Dublin Castle, Aug. 1588; Fitzwilliam to Burghley, Nov. 29, 1589, and to Sir G. Carew in _Carew_, Jan. 15, 1591.
[212] Lord Deputy and Council to the Privy Council, Aug. 21, 1591; Sir H. Bagenal to Burghley, Aug. 13; Tyrone to the Privy Council, Oct. 31.
[213] The documents are collected in the _Irish Arch. Journal_, N. S. vol. i. pp. 298-314. One of Tyrone's main grievances against Bagenal was that he would not pay him the 1,000_l._ reserved to his sister by her father's will; and he continued to clamour for this money even after poor Mabel's death.
ADMINISTRATION OF FITZWILLIAM, 1592-1594.
[Sidenote: Second escape of Hugh O'Donnell, 1592.]
[Sidenote: His sufferings from exposure.]
It was no new thing that prisoners should escape from Dublin Castle, nor that they should be brought back again; and Hugh Roe did not despair. A year after his first attempt, and at the same evening hour, he knocked off his irons and lowered himself with a long rope into the ditch. His companions were Shane O'Neill's sons, Henry and Art, and they were helped outside by Tyrone's confidential servant, Tirlogh O'Hagan. The fugitives passed through the streets unnoticed, and reached the mountains that same night. Their sufferings from exposure were great, and Art O'Neill, who had grown fat in prison, and had besides received a blow from a falling stone when getting out of it, was forced to lie down under a rock at the foot of the mountains. Edward Eustace, who had been sent by Feagh MacHugh to act as guide, was now despatched to that chief, and food and beer were sent to their relief. The men who brought the provisions said that O'Neill was past help, and there he died. Hugh was badly frostbitten and the nails of his great toes afterwards fell off, but he was able to drink some beer, and they carried him to a solitary house in the woods of Glenmalure. In due course Tyrone sent a messenger, with whom he travelled northwards, though he had to be lifted into the saddle and out of it. Felim O'Toole was now eager to help, and accompanied him to the Liffey, which he forded unperceived just above Dublin. His guide spoke English, and led him through Meath to the neighbourhood of Drogheda. Avoiding the town, they diverged to Mellifont, which belonged to Sir Edward Moore, and here they were lodged and helped on their way. After resting until the evening of next day, they rode all night, and passed through Dundalk as soon as the gates were opened in the morning. The danger was now over, and Tirlogh MacHenry O'Neill, whose power lay in the south part of Armagh, forwarded them safely to Dungannon, whence Tyrone sent Hugh O'Donnell, under escort, to Lough Erne. Here he was met by Maguire, and brought in triumph to Ballyshannon. Henry MacShane O'Neill did not go to Glenmalure at all, but escaped northwards from the Dublin mountains, among which his brother had died, and thus fell into Tyrone's hands. The Earl kept him long in captivity, and it is probable that in helping his son-in-law to escape, he also intended to prevent the Government from setting up the MacShanes against him.[214]