Desmond and his brother, they said, 'in their time did right well govern these parts,' and their return would send James Fitzmaurice beyond the seas. For Sidney they longed no less than for Desmond. Perrott was entirely against the restoration of the Earl, thinking that his further detention in London would secure the good behaviour of his brother. He advised that the Earl and Countess, who were prisoners at large, should be shut up in the Tower for a year, so as to take away all hope of their return. This, he thought, would encourage the Geraldine chiefs to make separate terms. Sir John might then be safely sent over, security having been first taken for his good behaviour. 'I hear,' said Perrott, 'he is a decent gentleman.' Fitzwilliam, who saw Munster pretty much through Ormonde's eyes, was equally against both. 'God keep both Sir John of Desmond and base money out of Ireland, yet are they both at the seaside to come over, if brutes be true.'[210] [Sidenote: Perrott proposes to decide the war by a duel.] Most people who study the acts of Sir John Perrott will probably be of opinion that he was a wise and honest man, if not always prudent for himself. But he now indulged in such an act of folly as can hardly be matched, even in the annals of Irish misgovernment. He could not catch James Fitzmaurice, and therefore he challenged him, resolving, if possible, to end the war at one blow. Had the weapons been those of the tilt-yard, the Queen's old champion might have been pretty sure of victory, but Fitzmaurice, who at first encouraged the President's idea, insisted upon sword and target and Irish trousers for both sides. Perrott agreed, and provided a pair of scarlet trousers for himself. Then Fitzmaurice objected to single combat, and proposed that there should be fifty a side. It was finally agreed that each party should consist of twelve horse and twelve foot, 'with indifferent armour and weapon.' Edward Butler was one of those picked on the President's side. Perrott wrote to Ormonde to borrow his horse, and begged him to attend with all his force, evidently thinking that there was a danger of foul play. 'I trust very shortly,' he told the Earl, 'to make end of this war, and to overthrow the rest of these Geraldines, which do so much annoy her Majesty's subjects. My lord, I have promised that there shall be no hurt done unto him by any of your lordship's men, until such time as the day be past, and I have promised him peace, that no man shall hurt him, nor none of his, till this matter be tried. And so he likewise hath promised to do the like unto all her Majesty's subjects.'[211] [Sidenote: Ormonde at his wit's end. Fitzmaurice refuses to fight.]