Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/633

 1583.] THE DESMOND REBELLION. 613 ject humility asking an opportunity to explain how he had been misled. Ormond had but one answer. He must surrender and plead his excuses at his trial. Lady Desmond, the companion hitherto of all her husband's adventures, forsook him now, perhaps by his own desire. She again came to Ormond. He would have sent her back a second time, but she would not go unless by force, ' lamenting greatly the folly of the Earl, whom wisdom could never rule/ l Free from the encumbrance of her presence, the last of the Munster Geraldines wandered from glen to glen, and mountain to mountain, attended only by a priest and three or four faithful followers who would not leave him. The wildest enthusiast had aban- doned his cause as hopeless. Every chief had made his peace by a bloody offering to Ormond. Even Fitzgerald of Irnokelly had earned forgiveness and been received to grace, and not a hand by the end of the summer was raised against Ormond' s rule. Loftus, St Leger, and Wal- lop hated him and disparaged his success. They insisted that the pardoned insurgents would revolt again with the winter, and they persuaded the Queen to bid Or- mond revoke his protection and seize them unprepared. Ormond's answer was worthy of his name. ' My Lord/ he proudly wrote to Burghley, 'the clause in the Queen's letter seems most strange to me. 1 will never use treachery to any, for it will both touch her High- ness'' s honour too much and mine own credit ; and who- Ormond to Burghley, June 18: MSS. Ireland.