Essex in Ireland - Flight of Essex

Flight of Essex

In mid-September 1599 the queen wrote to Essex with her criticisms, forbidding him from leaving Ireland without special warrant. A week later, he committed responsibility for his government to two lords justice, placing Ormond in command of the army under his old commission, and gave instruction that the cessation was to be maintained, with garrisons fully victualled for six months. Under his general warrant to return to England, given under the Great Seal, Essex sailed for England the same day, 24 September, and reached London on the 28th.

The queen described the agreed cessation as the, "quick end made of a slow proceeding", and it was generally concluded that Essex's presence in Ireland had been superfluous from the start. Essex revealed only to the queen what had passed between him and O'Neill, having promised to deliver the rebel request verbally. At first treason was not suspected on his part, but the queen was outspoken about O'Neill: "to trust this traitor upon oath is to trust a devil upon his religion." She ordered no ratification, nor pardon without her authority, but in time she did admit the usefulness of the cessation.

O'Neill was in two minds about the cessation, and came under pressure from O'Donnell, who argued that too much had been ceded to the English. He issued a list of demands on religious freedom and withdrawal of English influence and confirmation of lands in rebel possession - probably the bones of his private conference with Essex. There was a further parley on the Lagan in late November, when a one month extension was agreed. In December, O'Neill complained of breaches of the cessation, and in the spring of the following year, 1600, he turned south on a campaign through Munster.