Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/150

 130 REIGN QF ELIZABETH. [011.42 England could not play into their hands more effectively than by leaving them to destroy at their leisure the few chiefs who had dared to be loyal. Kildare returned ito Dublin with full powers to act as he should think best ; while Sussex, leaving a garrison as before in Armagh Cathedral, returned with the dis- pirited remnant of his army into the Pale. Fitzwilliam was despatched to London to explain the disaster to the Queen ; and the Irish council sent a petition by his hands, that the troops who had been so long quartered in the four shires should be recalled or disbanded. Use- less in the field and tyrannical to the farmer, they were a burden on the English exchequer and answered no purpose but to make the English name detested. The petition corresponded but too well with Elizabeth' s private inclination, but Fitzwilliam while he presented it did not approve of its recommendations ; he implored her and he was supported in his entreaties by Cecil to postpone, at least for a short time, a measure which would be equivalent to an abandonment of Ireland. The Queen yielded, and in allowing the army to remain permitted it to be reinforced from the trained soldiers of Berwick. Fitzwilliam carried back with him three thousand pounds to pay the arrears of wages ; Cecil pressed hard for three thousand besides ; but Elizabeth would risk no more till ( she saw some fruit arise from her expenditure.' To Shan O'Neil she sent a pardon with a safe- con- duct for his journey to England if Kildare could prevail on him to come to her ; and ' accepting the defeat as