In 1600 a spy reported that Shelton and one Richard Nugent were at the headquarters of the Irish rebel Tyrone. Shelton and Nugent were reported to be planning to travel to Scotland, but they changed their destination to Spain. Whether they arrived in Spain is not clear as they both ended up in Flanders. Nugent was to claim he left Ireland because he was neglected in love, publishing "Cynthia, containing direfull sonnets, madrigalls and passionate intercourses, describing his repudiate affections expressed in loves owne language".