established, indeed, was the peace of the province, that on the outbreak of James Fitzmaurice's rebellion in July, Malby, with six hundred well-furnished troops, marched to Limerick to co-operate with the lord justice, Sir William Drury [q. v.] . Owing to Drury's illness the task of suppressing the rebellion devolved mainly upon him. He displayed commendable zeal in prosecuting the rebels, and on 3 Oct. he defeated Sir John and Sir James of Desmond at Monasteranenagh in county Limerick (ib. lxviii. 45, lxix. 17, 52). He strongly suspected the Earl of Desmond of disloyalty, and after several ineffectual efforts (ib. lxix. 52, i–ix.) to secure his co-operation, treated him as a rebel; while Desmond, without much reason, complained that Malby's severity was a chief cause of his rebellion (ib. lxix. 70, lxxvii. 52).
On the arrival of the Earl of Ormonde in November with a commission to command the army in Munster, Malby returned to his charge in Connaught. He belonged to the Leicester faction, and for this and other more personal reasons bore no goodwill to Ormonde, whom he subsequently charged with misrepresenting his services in Munster, and with abetting disorder in Connaught. With the exception of Richard Burke, called Richard of the Iron, or Iron Dick, none of the Connaught chiefs had shown any active sympathy with the Munster rebels. In February 1580 Malby invaded his country and drove him to seek safety among the islands in Clew Bay. After suffering the most terrible privations, Richard of the Iron submitted to the garrison at Burrishoole (ib. lxxii. 39). During the siege of Carrigfoyle, Malby assisted the operations of the lord justice, Sir William Pelham [q. v.] , with supplies from Connaught (Cal. Carew MSS. ii. 238). In August O'Rourke, animated by the expectation of foreign assistance, rebelled and dismantled the castle of Leitrim. Malby immediately took the field against him, repaired and garrisoned the castle, and routed the rebels (ib. ii. 297). Then, hastening to Dublin to the assistance of the lord deputy, Arthur, lord Grey of Wilton [q. v.], against Baltinglas and Fiagh MacHugh O'Byrne [q. v.] , he witnessed the disastrous defeat of the English forces at Glenmalure (State Papers, Ireland, Eliz. lxxv. 79, 82). But the news that O'Rourke was again in arms compelled him, in spite of ill-health, to return at once to Connaught (ib. lxxvi. 15; Cal. Carew MSS. ii. 310). To those who complained that he used the sword too sharply in his government he replied that if the queen did not use it more sharply she would lose both sword and realm (ib. ii. 314). O'Rourke fled at his approach (State Papers, Ireland, Eliz. lxxvii. 54), but a new danger instantly presented itself in the rebellion of John and Ulick Burke, who, at the instigation of the catholic bishop of Kilmacduagh, had proclaimed a religious war, and were making wild efforts to relieve the Spaniards at Smerwick (ib. lxxviii. 41).
Even after the capture of Smerwick the situation was sufficiently alarming to cause Grey to send reinforcements to Malby (ib. lxxviii. 59), but by the end of January 1581 the latter announced that he had been so far successful against the rebels that 'they dare not look abroad, but, like wild wolves, keep the woods and the mountains.' O'Rourke, as usual, took advantage of the situation, and invaded Roscommon, but Malby sent Captain Brabazon against him, and O'Rourke at once sued for peace (Cal. Carew MSS. ii. 320). Towards the end of February a body of six hundred Scots invaded the province to co-operate with the Burkes, but Malby had timely notice of their arrival, and before the latter could join them he attacked them, and after killing a number of them drove them across the Moy. At Strade Abbey, in county Mayo, he decided a controversy between Richard of the Iron Burke and Richard MacOliver, allowing the title of MacWilliam to the former, and making the latter sheriff of the county of Mayo (see Malby's graphic description of his journey in State Papers, Ireland, Eliz. lxxxi. 42, i.; and also in Cotton MSS. Titus B. xiii. ff. 320–5).
Important as were his services, it was grievous, Grey complained, to see good Sir Nicholas Malby so thanklessly used (State Papers, Ireland, Eliz. lxxxii. 48). He was anxious to lay his case before the queen personally, and in May he agreed to a short peace with the Burkes (ib. lxxxviii. 10), but on the outbreak of hostilities between Turlough Luineach O'Neill and Sir Hugh O'Donnell in July, he was ordered to the assistance of the latter. He marched as far as Lifford, and having destroyed the town, effected a junction with the lord deputy (ib. lxxxv. 47; Annals of Loch Cé, ii. 441). Towards the close of November he went to England to report on the general situation of affairs in Ireland. But, so far as he was personally concerned, his visit was not successful. His enemies charged him with violent, tyrannical, and corrupt conduct in his administration, and Elizabeth showed a disposition to listen to the charge. He returned to Ireland on 21 May 1582, and was warmly welcomed by his brother officers. During his absence, Connaught, except for some
