Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/331

 573-3 STATE OF IRELAND. of Imokelly. Castlemayne had cost Perrot two weary months of labour to reduce. On Christmas-eve, when the garrison were sleeping off their deep draughts of ale, a treacherous porter opened the gates, and let in Fitzmaurice and his band. Adare Abbey ' was stored again with friars/ and the Catholic Bishop of Limerick, Hugh Larry, whom Perrot had deposed, was reinstalled in his Cathedral. 1 Fitzwilliam sent a pursuivant to Desmond December, to order him to disperse his followers, and return to Dublin. He might as well have whistled to the eagles of Dunloe. Desmond answered that, ' as long as he was allowed to rule his own country in peace, he would do no hurt to her Majesty's subjects/ but he would not place himself again in the power of her officers, of whom he had seen enough and too much already. 2 The shock was felt in the castle of every Irish chief. A stormy meeting was held in Connaught, where Shan Burke, Clanrickard's son, ' drew his skene, and wished it were driven into his belly if ever he submitted to the Deputy except on his own conditions, and swore he would make prey to the gates of Dublin/ 3 The situation of Essex, already deplorable, was now hopeless. Misfortunes gathered one upon the other. He could get no fresh meat. His bread ran short. The contractors had been fraudulent, and had sent bad malt, by which the soldiers were poisoned. The horses were 1 N. Walshe to Burghley, No- vember 24, November 30, December
 * MSS. Ireland.

8 Captain Boucbier to Fitz- william, December 2, 5, 6 : MSS. Ibid. 3 Ibid.