Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/571

 1566.] DEATH OF a NEIL. 551 ' Who had escaped the bed of some victorious lord.' Aware that Sidney's first effort would be the restora- tion of O'Donnell, O'Neil commenced the campaign with a fresh invasion of Tyrconnell, where O'Donnell's brother still held out for England ; he swept round by Lough Erne, swooped on the remaining cattle of M'Guyre, and ' struck terror and admiration into the Irishry.' 1 Then stretching out his hands for foreign s - help, he wrote in the style of a king to Charles the Ninth of France. ' Your Majesty's father, King Henry, in times past required the Lords of Ireland to join with him against the heretic Saxon, the enemies of Almighty God, the enemies of the Holy Church of Rome, your Majesty's enemies and mine. 2 God would not per- mit that alliance to be completed, notwithstanding the hatred borne to England by all of Irish blood, until your Majesty had become King in France, and I was Lord of Ireland. The time is come however when we all are confederates in a common bond to drive the in- vader from our shores ; and we now beseech your Ma- jesty to send us six thousand well-armed men. If you will grant our request there will soon be no Englishman left alive among us, and we will be your Majesty's sub* jects evermore. Help us, we implore you, to expel the heretics and schismatics, and to bring back our country to the holy Roman See.' 3 1 The Bishop of Meath to Sussex, April 27, 1566 : WRIGHT, vol. i. 2 ' Vestra Majestatis et nostrae simul inimicos.' 3 O'Neil to Charles IX. 1566: Irish MSS. Rolls House.