Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/562

 542. REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 62. Deputy to be broken, and they prepared once more to try conclusions in the field. The two sons of the Earl of Clanrickard, Ulick and John, who had distinguished themselves in the rebellion against Fit-ton, were the first to appear as the champions of their father's rights. Before Malby could arrive they broke out. Sidney hastened in person to Athlone. The country had been slow in answering to their call, and old Clanrickard, afraid of consequences to himself, came trembling to him, protesting his innocency, and begging pardon on his knees in Athlone church for his boys' indiscretion. Sidney sternly told him that ' the bastard brats ' must be brought to him, dead or alive, or the Queen would seize his lands and extirpate his house from Connaught. He promised the humblest obedience for them, and on the occasion of Malby's instalment, they presented themselves under a safe- conduct at Athlone, and under- took to serve under the President if he would guarantee them the Queen's pardon. 1 Her Majesty,' reported Malby, ' having charged me to win the Irish if possible by gentle methods, I agreed to this/ The Burkes ' swore fearful oaths ' that they meant loyally ; and having, as they supposed, thrown the President on his guard, they made a sudden at- tempt to seize him. Missing their mark, they attacked a few outlying companies of English soldiers who were billeted in the adjoining farmhouses, and destroyed them. It was the middle of the winter, w^hen they con- sidered themselves safe from immediate retribution. Malby sent to Dublin for reinforcements, and proceeded to show them that they were mistaken.