Ireland under the Tudors, with a Succinct Account of the Earlier History. Vol. 2 (of 3)Bagwell, Richard
History
Ireland under the Tudors, with a Succinct Account of the Earlier History. Vol. 2 (of 3)
Bagwell, Richard
Ireland -- History -- 16th century
Sussex did not conceal from the Queen his mortification at the treaty
which he had been obliged to sign, at the powers given to Kildare, and at
the abandonment of the campaign, from which so much had been hoped, and
for which such great preparations had been made. Her Majesty's letters
had contained expressions of disgust which not only reflected on himself,
but discredited the whole English interest of which he was the head, and
he bitterly resented the small thanks given him for five years of arduous
service. 'Our nation in this realm,' he said, 'is likened to the French
in Scotland. We be railed on at tables with terms not sufferable. The
people be incensed to wax mad, and this is hoped to be the jubilee year.'
He complained that the Queen's Irish policy was as useless and
unprogressive as Penelope's web, woven by one governor only to be picked
to pieces by the next. It would be for the Queen's honour either to
support her representative cordially, or to recall him honourably and
employ him in some other place, 'where I can do her better service than I
can now do here.' These criticisms were well deserved. The peace with
Shane was of Elizabeth's own making, and yet, with that want of
generosity which she sometimes showed, she tried to make out that its
terms were not sufficiently favourable to her. Sussex showed conclusively
that he had done the best thing possible under the circumstances which
the Queen had thought proper to create.[38]
[Sidenote: Shane O'Neill at Court, 1562.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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