When James Fitzmaurice found that Sidney had not brought either the Earl or Sir John of Desmond with him, he called a meeting of Geraldines, and informed them that their chief and his brother were condemned to death, or at least to perpetual imprisonment. He reminded them that when the good Earl Thomas had been murdered by the tyrant Earl of Worcester his followers had chosen a captain for themselves, and he advised a like course. He was immediately chosen by acclamation, and unhesitatingly accepted the position in spite of Sidney's threats. He was soon afterwards proclaimed a traitor. The wise Earl of Clancare, as Shane O'Neill had in derision called him, placed himself about the same time at the head of a Celtic confederacy, plundered Lord Roche's country, drove off the cattle, burned the sheep and the corn, and killed men, women, and children. Neither wheat nor oats were to be had for love or money west of Youghal: the combined result of drought from heaven and heat from the Earl of Clancare. Spanish ships supplied the MacCarthies with arms. Edward Butler told Sidney's messenger, who found him at Thurles with 1,000 men, that no man of Irish birth could be safe since Sir John of Desmond had been sent to the Tower for little or nothing. He knew that he himself had deeply offended his brother the Earl, and was therefore afraid of Sir Edmund, who had also 1,000 men with him. 'Your secret conference, brother,' he said in the messenger's presence, 'hath brought me to this mischief.' To Dublin he refused to go without pardon or protection, and Shane O'Neill hardly claimed more, even in his proudest days. [Sidenote: Ormonde's presence declared indispensable.] The presence of Ormonde alone could settle his country, and he, in Sidney's opinion, 'politicly kept himself in England, as well for duty's sake to the Queen as ancient and innate malice to the Earl of Desmond and all Desmondians.' Sir Edmund could not brook the notion of dismissing his armed followers, and, as he himself expressed it, 'riding up and down the country like a priest.' No brother or lieutenant was of any use, and if Ormonde would not come Sidney would have to go himself; and he begged for a strongly-worded letter to show to the people. The report was that he was not allowed to interfere with the Butler districts, and indeed he was loth to do so, knowing that the Earl bore him little goodwill, and that he had the Queen's ear. 'Though never so upright,' he said, 'I shall not escape slander.'[158] [Sidenote: Lawless conduct of Ormonde's brethren.]