[1] [2]

I wote well (my Lorde) that I am not the meeteſt at this boorde to charge you with theſe treaſons,The Cardinall L. Chanſellor chargeth Kil|dare. bycauſe it hathe pleaſed ſome of youre pewfellowes to report, that I am a profeſſed e|nimie to all nobilitie, and namely to the Giral|dines: but ſeeing euerye curſt boy can ſay as muche when hee is controlled, and ſeeing theſe poyntes are ſo weightie, that they ſhould not bee diſſembled of vs, and ſo apparant, that they cã|not be denyed of you, I muſt haue leaue (not|withſtanding your ſtale ſlaunder) to bee the mouth of theſe honorable at this preſent, and to trumpe your treaſons in youre way, howſoeuer you take me. Firſt you remember, how ye lewde [page 82] Earle of Deſmond your kinſman (who paſſeth not whome hee ſerueth, mighte hee change hys maſter) ſent his confederates with letters of cre|dence to Frauncis the Frenche Kyng: and ha|uyng but colde comfort there, went to Charles the Emperoure, profering the help of Mounſter and Connaght, toward the conqueſt of Irelãd, if either of them woulde helpe to winne it from our King Howe many letters, what preceptes, what meſſages, what threats haue bin ſent you to apprehende him, and yet not done? Why ſo? forſooth I could not catch him: nay nay Earle, forſooth you would not watche him. If hee bee iuſtly ſuſpected, why are you partiall in ſo great a charge? if not, why are you fearefull to haue him tryed? yea for it will be ſworne and depoſed to your face, that for feare of meeting him, you haue winked wilfully, ſhunned his ſighte, alte|red youre courſe, warned hys friendes, ſtopped both eares and eyes againſte his detectors, and when ſo euer you tooke vppon you to hunte him out, then was hee ſure before hande to bee out of your walke. Surely, this iugling and falſe play little became either an honeſt man called to ſuch honour, or a noble man putte in ſo greate truſt. Had you loſt but a Cowe of an Horſe of youre owne, two hundred of youre reteyners woulde haue come at your whiſtle to reſcue the pray frõ the vttermoſt edge of Vlſter: all the Iriſhe in Ireland muſt haue giuen you the way. But in purſuing ſo needeful a matter as this was, mer|cifull God, howe nice, how daungerous, howe wayward haue you bin? One while he is from home, another while he kepeth home, ſometimes fledde, ſometimes in the bordures, where you dare not venter. I wiſſe my Lorde, there bee ſhrewde bugges in the bordures for the Earle of Kildare to feare, the Earle, nay the Kyng of Kildare: for when you are diſpoſed, you raigne more lyke than rule in the land: where you are malitious, the trueſt ſubiects ſtand for Iriſhe e|nimies: where you are pleaſed the Iriſh enimie ſtandeth for a duetifull ſubiect: harts and hands, liues and landes, are all at your courteſie: who fawneth not thereon, he cannot reſt within your ſmell, and youre ſmel is ſo ranke, that you trake them out at pleaſure.