Sussex's Letter to Queen Elizabeth

During the reign of Elizabeth trouble again broke out in Ireland, and the Earl of Sussex, the Irish Deputy, made a raid into Kintyre, where the MacDonnells were closely allied to those of Ulster. From his good ship the "Mary Willoughby" then lying in Lochkilkerran, Sussex wrote on 3rd October, 1588, an account of his actions, which is quoted in the Rev. George Hill's "MacDonnells of Antrim" recently republished by the Glens of Antrim Historical Society, by whose courtesy we reproduce that letter:

"I landed and burned the whole countrye; from thens I went to Arren, and did the lyke there, and so to the Isles of Combras, whych I also burned. After ryding at Anker between Combras and Bute where alsoe I thowght to have landed, there rase soddenly a terrybel tempeste in which I sustained some losse." On the 19th, Sussex arrived at "Lowghe Gylkerran in Kyntyre. On the same day I landed and burned eight myles of length, and therewith James McConell's chiefe howse callit Saudell, a fayre pyle and a stronge. The nexte day, I crossed over the lande and burned twelve myles of lengthe on the other side of the Lowghe, wherein were burned a faire howse callit Mawher Imore (Machrimore) and a strong castell called Dunalvere (Dunavertie)."

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