Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/566

 546 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [en. 46. malicious people so hated Sussex as to ruin him they would have ruined all. Arnold has done well and faithfully; and Kildare very well. Remember this., and if possible let him have the next garter that is vacant.' l To the long letter to his brother-in-law, Sidney added a few words equally anxious and earnest to Cecil. 1 Ireland/ he said, ' would be no small loss to the English Crown, and it was never so like to be lost as now. O'Neil has already all Ulster, and if the French were so eager about Calais, think what the Irish are to recover their whole island. I love no wars ; but I had rather die than Ireland should be lost in my govern- ment/ 2 Evidently, notwithstanding all his urgency before he left England, notwithstanding the promises which he extracted from Elizabeth, the treasury doors were still locked. Months had passed ; arrears had continued to grow ; the troops had become more disorganized than ever, and the summer was coming, which would bring O'Neil and his galloglasse into the Pale, while the one indispensable step was still un taken which must precede all preparations to meet him. Nor did these most pressing letters work any speedy change. March went by and April came ; and the smacks from Holy head sailed up the Liffey, but they brought no money for Sidney and no de- spatches. At length, unable to bear his suspense and 1 Sidney to Leicester, March 5 (condensed) : Irish MSS. Rolls House. 8 Sidney to Cecil, March, 1566: MS. Ibid.