Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 2.djvu/183

1528.] O'Connor. 'A letter from the King!' said the insolent chieftain when it was brought to him, 'what king? If I may live one year, I trust to see Ireland in that case that there shall be no more mention here of the King of England than of the King of Spain.' Still, however, it was thought inconvenient to venture extremities. Henry allowed himself to make use of Kildare' s assistance to soothe the immediate storm. An old desire of the Irish had been that some prince of the blood should govern them; he nominated, therefore, his natural son, the Duke of Richmond, as viceroy; and having no adequate force in Ireland to resist an insurrection, and no immediate means of despatching any such force, he was once more obliged to pardon and restore the traitorous Gferaldine; appointing, at the same time, Sir William Skeffington, a moderately able man, though too old for duty, as the Duke of Richmond's deputy, and directing him to govern with the advice and co-operation of the Earl of Kildare.

To this disastrous weakness there was but one counterpoise—that the English party in the council of Ireland was strengthened by the appointment of John Allen to the archbishopric of Dublin and the office of chancellor. Allen was one of the many men of talent who owed their elevation to Wolsey. He was now sent over to keep watch on Kildare, and to supply the