REIGN OF ELIZABETH. [CH. 59. and ' to devise means ' the old story ' to increase the revenue.' 1 But Elizabeth's ministers were not utterly unreason- able. Having failed to crush the Irish, they saw that they must endeavour to conciliate them. The Presidency system was abandoned, and the Irish chiefs resumed their authority. To make the change of policy com- plete, the Earl of Desmond, who had been sent to London to be arraigned for treason, and whose lands were to have been quartered among the spoilers, was permitted to return to Ireland. Had the confiscations been proceeded with, he would probably have been put out of the way. It was now thought imprudent to detain him longer. He had never from the first been imprisoned except for a few days. He had lived at large on his parole, and the Queen had allowed him six and twenty shillings a- week for his maintenance ; but it was too little for his necessities. House- rent had risen heavily in Lon- don, for he had to pay ' twenty shillings a- week for his lodgings/ 2 and he had been ' in great want and misery/ He told Leicester that often ' he had not a meal's meat nor a garment to shrowd him in ; ' 3 and long before his confinement was ended, he was ready to promise, if the Queen would let him go, * to assist in setting forward the Book of Common Prayer/ ' to restore quiet in Mun- 1 Memorial for the better govern- ment of Ireland, 1572 : MSS. Ire- land. 2 Desmond to the Council, Sep- tember 12, 1572. 3 Desmond to Leicester, Feb- ruary 7, 1571.
