Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 41.djvu/263

Nugent autumn of the following year he distinguished himself against Shane O'Neill [q. v.], and was knighted at Drogheda by Sir Henry Sidney. On 30 June 1567 he obtained a lease of the abbey of Inchmore in the Annaly and the abbey of Fore in co. Westmeath, to which was added on 7 Oct. the lease of other lands in the same county.

Nothing occurred for some time to disturb the harmony of his relations with the government. But in July 1574 his refusal, in conjunction with Lord Gormanston, to sign the proclamation of rebellion against the Earl of Desmond laid his loyalty open to suspicion. He grounded his refusal on the fact that he was not a privy councillor, and had not been made acquainted with the reasons of the proclamation. But the English privy council, thinking that his objections savoured more of 'a wilful partiality to an offender against her majesty than a willing readiness to her service' (Cal. Carew MSS. i. 490), sent peremptory orders for his submission. Fresh letters of explanation were proffered by him and Gormanston in February 1575, but, being deemed insufficient, the two noblemen were in May placed under restraint. They thereupon confessed their 'fault,' and Delvin shortly afterwards appears to have recovered the good opinion of government: for on 15 Dec. Sir Henry Sidney wrote that he expected a speedy reformation of the country, 'a great deal the rather through the good hope I conceive of the service of my lord of Delvin, whom I find active and of good discretion' (ib. ii. 31) ; and in April 1576 Delvin entertained Sidney while on progress. Before the end of the year, however, there sprang up a controversy between government and the gentry of the Pale in regard to cess, in which Delvin played a principal part.

It had long been the custom of the Irish government, in order to support the army, to take up provisions, &c., at a certain fixed: price. This custom, reasonable enough in its origin, had, owing to the currency reforms effected by Elizabeth, coupled with the general rise in prices, become particularly irksome to the inhabitants of the Pale. Their protests had, however, obtained for them no relief, and accordingly, in 1576, at the instigation chiefly of Delvin, they took up higher ground, denounced the custom as unconstitutional, and appointed three of their number to lay their grievances before the queen. The deputation met with scant courtesy in England. Elizabeth was indignant at having her prerogative called in question, and, after roundly abusing the deputies for their impertinence, clapped them in the Fleet. In Ireland a similar course was pursued by Sir Henry Sidney, and in May 1577 Delvin, Baltinglas, and others were confined in the castle. There was, however, no intention on Elizabeth's part to push matters to extremities, and, after some weeks' detention, the deputies and their principals were released on expressing contrition for their conduct. But with Delvin, 'for that he has showed himself to be the chiefest instrument in terrifying and dispersuading the rest of the associates from yielding their submission' (ib. ii. 106), she was particularly angry, and left it entirely to Sidney's discretion whether he should remain in prison for some time longer. Finally an arrangement was arrived at between the government and the gentry of the Pale, and to this result Delvin's 'obstinacy' no doubt contributed. His conduct does not seem to have damaged him seriously; for in the autumn of 1579 he was entrusted with the command of the forces of the Pale, and was reported to have done good service in defending the northern marches against the inroads of Turlough Luineach O'Neill. His 'obstinate affection to popery,' however, told greatly in his disfavour, and it was as much for this general reason as for any proof of his treason they possessed that the Irish government, in December 1580, committed him, along with his father-in-law, Gerald Fitzgerald, eleventh earl of Kildare [q. v.], to the castle on suspicion of being implicated in the rebellious projects of Viscount Baltinglas. The higher officials, including Lord-deputy Grey, were firmly convinced of his treason; but with all their efforts they were unable to establish their charge against him. Accordingly, after an imprisonment of eighteen months in Dublin Castle, he and Kildare were sent to England in the custody of Marshal Bagnal.

On 22 June 1582 Delvin was examined by Lord-chancellor Mildmayand Gerard, master of the rolls. No fresh evidence of his treason was adduced, and Wallop heard with alarm that it was intended to set him at liberty. But, though not permitted to return immediately to Ireland, he was apparently allowed a considerable amount of personal liberty, and in April 1585 he was again in Ireland, sitting as a peer in the parliament that was then held. During the course of the year he was again in England; but after the death, on 16 Nov. 1585, of the Earl of Kildare he was allowed to repair to Ireland, 'in company of the young Earl of Kildare, partly for execution of the will of the earl, his father-in-law, partly to look into the estates of his own lands, from whence he hath been so long absent' (, Cal.