Sir Henry
Bagenal to
my Lord Treasurer, 13th August 1591
My very good lord. I must crave pardon of your Lordship if my present
discontentment shall carry me further (in the declaration of a late accident
happened here to my unspeakable grief) than reason or terms of modesty do
require. My old father having left only one daughter to mine and other of her
careful friends disposing, my Lord of Tyrone became suitor unto her, and after
some conference had with myself and other of her friends in whom he perceived no
great good towards him to answer his expectation, began in most dishonourable
sort, contrary to his assured promise passed unto me, by secret allurements and
drift of some dishonest person who meant to make merchandize of her undoing to
procure the good liking of the girl and having taken advantage of her years and
ignorance of his barbarous estate and course of living so enticed the
unfortunate girl by nursing in her through the report of some corrupted persons
an opinion of his behaviour and greatness, that being at a sister’s house of
mine seven miles from Dublin, she was contented to steal away with one William
Warren, whom the same earl used as a principal instrument to the compassing of
this his detestable purpose.
I can but accurse myself that my blood which is in my father and myself
has often been spilled in repressing this rebellious race should now be mingled
with so traiterous a stock and kindred. And withal detest some my countrymen
contented to participate in this villany especially the Bishop of Meath, who
being ready in the house of Warren six miles distant from the place she ran away
at four o’clock in the afternoon, married them contrary to the consent of
friends and public, pregnant and most apparent by the law of God not unknown and
to himself inpediment to the contrary.
By this and such like examples in men of his sort God’s Word is greatly
slandered, and many men in this kingdom whom I think would otherwise willingly
embrace the truth brought into detestation of the Gospel. But in this and all
other my griefs, I must humbly submit myself to your lordships grave censure and
upon the knees of my heart, do most submissively implore both in this and all
accidents concerning me, your honourable indifference and accustomed
consideration protesting I had rather forsake my place and patrimony, which my
Father by his own virtue and the princes liberality hath acquired. And which
both he and myself to our great toil and pain have reduced from barbarism to
that which now it is and plunge into ruin than upon this accident or any other,
slack one iota in the zeal of Highnesse’s service.
Had not the Lord Deputy upon some especial causes of service at this
present stayed me. I would have waited upon your Lordship there to have
manifested my inexplicable grief by word of mouth which now I am forced to do on
paper. Wherein I swear by the presence of Almighty God and the duty I bear her
sacred Majesty my sovereign that I will hold a more vigilant eye on that
earl’s actions and proceedings than ever hertofore I did, and I would rather
abandon this kingdom than by any entreaty grow
to atonement with him, or join with him in ought if it be not at some instant
times occasion shall be given for the furtherence of her Majesty’s service.
And so craving pardon of the present cause if my grief has carrried me further
than doth stand with your honour’s good liking, I most humbly leave you to
God. From
the Newry this 13th of August, 1591 Your
Lordship’s most humbly bounden, H.
Bagenal Quoted in
C.P.Meehan, The Fate and
Fortunes of Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone, and Rory O’Donel, Earl of
Tyrconnell, their flight from Ireland and their death in exile, (3rd
ed., Dublin, 1886), pp ‘Mabel’s (Bagenal) tower’ in the grounds of the Abbey Grammar School, Newry. Local folklore suggests Mabel spent her time pining for the earl of Tyrone in the short period between the break-down of their marriage and her premature death in her mid-twenties.
16th Century image of
Bagenal’s castle, Newry
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