Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/629

 1583-] THE DESMOND REBELLION. 609 If Ormond was too merciful what would St Leger have been ? His instructions from England were that before receiving any men of better quality to mercy he should exact substantial pledges for future good behaviour, one- pledge especially, that as a condition of pardon ' they should embrue their hands in the blood of their wicked confederates that stood disloyal.' l It will be seen that Ormond faithfully observed these orders, and that so far at least the suspicions of his over-leniency were un- deserved. The spring was now passing. The days were growing long and the ground hard, and the preparations were all complete for the closing campaign. Desmond himself was in the Kerry moun- tains. Lady Desmond, conscious that the end was coming, went in person to Ormond before he took the field to sue for her husband's pardon. Ormond could but reply that he had no power to grant her request, that nothing could be accepted but an unconditional surrender. This being so the Countess desired to re- main in Ormond's hands; but her presence, it was thought, would embarrass Desmond's movements, and she was therefore forced to return to him. He too was weary of his miserable hunted life. He was a poor creature at heart, with no quality of the Geraldines ex- cept their pride. The enchantment of the name, the feudal sacredness of the person of the chief, alone had made him formidable. But his pride at the crisis of his 1 Memorandum to the Earl of Ormond by Walsingham, March 24, 1583 : MSS. Ireland. VOL. X. 39