'I would,' said Fitzwilliam with evident sincerity, 'abide the pricking out of my eye or the stitching up of my lip,' rather than let private feeling hinder public service; but he confessed that he could not help disliking a man who counterworked God's will by prejudicing the English Government against his official superior, with no higher object than to gratify his own malicious vanity. Fitton was evidently a provoking person, but he solemnly declared he never gave Fitzwilliam a crabbed word, whereas the Lord Deputy's household was a hotbed of slander against him. Such, according to his own account, was the Vice-Treasurer's conscious innocence that he magnanimously signed State papers which contained covert attacks upon his official conduct. The poor Deputy could only testify against Fitton's vain-glorious humour, and beg to be recalled from his 'tabering.'[278] [Sidenote: Fitzwilliam is blamed for doing nothing, but is not furnished with means.] Had Fitzwilliam felt sure of his sovereign's favour he might have laughed at his enemies, and even at his daughter's unwedded condition. But the Queen blamed him roundly for staying lazily in Dublin, while Desmond lorded it in Munster and Essex struggled on unsupported in Ulster, and while Connaught scarcely preserved the semblance of the royal dominion. Fitzwilliam pleaded with perfect truth that to take the field without proper forces would be to risk her Majesty's honour. His credit was at the lowest ebb. The commissariat was in a state of chaos, and though he had often and urgently asked for a victualler none was sent--'a most necessary minister, the toilsome care of whose charge doth trouble me more than half the Government besides.' To save appearances he gave out that he expected his recall daily. 'Between these changes,' said Essex, in words that apply now as well as then, 'is ever all the mischief in Ireland; and therefore it were good to make it surely known that he shall still remain, or else to send such a Governor as you do determine on presently, for the expectation of a change maketh this man not to be obeyed nor cared for.'[279] [Sidenote: Fears for the peace of Munster.]