Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/329

 15 73-1 STATE OF IRELAND. 309 remembering ' the delicacies of their own firesides/ and ' wanting resolute minds to endure travail/ followed the infectious example. The soldiers, not being in the Queen's service, began to say, ' that Essex was a private man, whom they were free to leave if they pleased/ and the Irish understood their humour, and fed the rising discontent. O'Donnell sent word that he would submit to the Queen, and hold his land at her hands, but that he owed no allegiance to a subject who had come over for ' private gain ; ' and Essex, in the blight which had overtaken him, was driven, after a few weeks' trial, to request Elizabeth to ' allow the army to appear hers/ 'that he might with better warrant at least punish mutiny and the base igiiobility of the soldiers' minds.' 1 He sent to Dublin to Fitzwilliam for assistance, or at least for advice. Fitzwilliam could not help him ; and not perhaps wholly unamused at the collapse of an enter- prise which had been ushered in with so loud a nourish, not wholly unpleased at so plain a proof that others could fail as well as he, ' the Lord Deputy sat in his chair and smiled.' 2 The Earl in his despair poured out his griefs to Burghley, whom he called his father. ' He had not come to Ireland/ he said, ' for his own advantage/ but only in the service of his country. He was ready to surrender his patent, saving the rights and claims of the gentlemen who had shared the risk with him, if the Queen would take the control of the expedition, 1 Essex to Elizabeth, November I 2 Essex to Burghley, November 2 : MSS. Ireland. ' 2 : MSS. Ibid.