1570.] STATE OF IRELAND. was commonly bestowed upon Englishmen. 1 Yet, un- derstanding Philip's difficulties about Ireland, and feeling that he had no further favour to expect from Elizabeth, he contrived while in prison to establish a correspondence with Don Guerau, to pass himself off as a person of great influence among the chiefs, as an ardent Catholic, devoted to the Church, to Mary Stuart, and to Spain, and anxious to play a part by the side of the noblemen who were working for a revolution in England. Having thus opened a way towards his reception in Madrid, he pretended to Sidney that he wished to go in person to his mistress and clear his reputation with her ; and Sidney, instead of sending him over under a guard, apparently was contented with his parole. 2 Stukely told him that his defence would require the presence of certain Irish gentlemen, who were willing to accompany him to the Queen. The Deputy per- mitted him to purchase and fit out a ship at Waterford to transport both them and himself ; and when at last he sailed, it was pretended that no one on board sus- 1 ' Esta claro que ninguno en toda Irlanda hizo mayor destruccion en iglcsias, monasteries y imagenes ; siendo natural Ingles y muy abhor- recido de los suyos, es muy mas ab- horreci'do de los Irlandeses, assi por el natural y comun odio que les Irlandeses tieneii a los Ingleses, como por particular odio quetodos le tierien el, por haber comprado y ocupado aquellas tierras, sabiendo la mayor parte de Irlanda que ni la Eeyna ni el tiene ningun derecho a ellas.' El Arzobispo de Cashel en Madrid a vi. de Deciembre, 1570 : MSS. Simancas. 2 The Archbisbop of Cashel indi. cates that Sidney was afraid that he might be required to execute him. He says : ' La cual cosa el Vicerey concedi6, porque ainsi pienso de es* capar la invidia que podia haber in- currido de algunos en haber hecho justicia del, aunque justamente.*
