Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 7.djvu/576

 556 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 46. leave in haste, as a thrall forced to live in loathsome- ness of life.' l The council, finding Sidney's views accepted and endorsed by Knowles, united to recommend them ; a schedule was drawn out of the men, money, and stores which would be required ; a thousand of the best troops in Berwick, with eight hundred Irish, was the increase estimated as necessary for the army ; and the wages of eighteen hundred men for six months would amount to ten thousand four hundred and eighty pounds. Sixteen thousand pounds was already due to the Irish garrison. The provisions, arms, clothes, and ammunition would cost four thousand five hundred pounds ; and four thou- sand pounds in addition would be wanted for miscella- neous services. 2 Ihe reluctance of Elizabeth to engage in an Irish campaign was not diminished by a demand for thirty- four thousand nine hundred pounds. Sussex continued malignant and mischievous, and there was many a Catholic about the Court who secretly wished O'Neil to succeed. ' The Court,' wrote Cecil to Sidney, 'is not free from many troubles amongst others none worse than emulations, disdains, backbitings, and such like, whereof I see small hope of diminution/ The Queen at the beginning refused to allow more than six hundred men to be sent from England or more than four hundred to be raised in Ireland. To no pur- pose Cecil insisted ; in vain Leicester challenged Sussex 1 Sidney to Cecil, June 3. Irish MSS. Rolls House. x Notes for the army in Ireland, May 30. In Cecil's hand : MS. Ibid.