rest had promised these people a safe passage, and had allowed them to carry away some of their property, which they were thus induced not to hide. In the town of Cavan they were attacked, the guard given by the O'Reillys joining in the treachery, and robbed of everything. 'Some were killed, all stripped, some almost, others altogether naked, not respecting women and sucking infants, the Lady Butler faring herein as did others. Of these miserable creatures many perished by famine and cold, travelling naked through frost and snow, the rest recovering Dublin, where now many of them are among others, in the same distress for bread and clothes.' After a week's hesitation, the Lords Justices sent back an answer by Jones, whose wife and children remained as hostages. This he describes as 'fair, but general and dilatory, suitable to the weak condition of affairs in Dublin, the safety whereof wholly depending upon the gain of time.' The Government yielded no point of importance. They reminded the remonstrants that fortresses could not be legally seized without orders from the King, and that the rebels had falsely professed to have such orders. If, however, the inhabitants of the county Cavan would peaceably return to their own dwellings, restore every possible article to its plundered owner, and abstain from all hostile acts in future, then the Lords Justices would forward their petition to his Majesty and 'humbly seek his royal pleasure therein.' The O'Reillys were in the meantime preparing to attack Dublin in force.[278] [Sidenote: State of the Pale.] As regards the gentry of the Pale, Roman Catholics for the most part, the Lords Justices were in a difficult position. By mistrusting them they ran the risk of driving them into rebellion; by trusting them they increased their power for mischief, should they be already tainted. For the moment the first danger seemed the greater of the two, and commissions as governors of counties with plenary powers were accordingly issued to several of them, by which they were authorised to proceed by martial law against the rebels, 'hanging them till they be dead as hath been accustomed in time of open rebellion,' destroying or sparing their houses and territories according to their discretion. They were also empowered to grant protections. [Sidenote: Lord Gormanston.] [Sidenote: Sir N. Barnewall.] [Sidenote: Sir T. Nugent.] [Sidenote: Sir C. Bellew.] [Sidenote: The Earl of Kildare.]