FITZGERALD. 127 dying in 1483, he was continued by Richard III. lord deputy to his son Edward; and the year afterwards to John, Earl of Lincoln. King Henry VII. on his acces sion to the throne in 1485, continued him lord deputy to Jasper, Duke of Bedford; but the next year he nearly forfeited the king's favour, by abetting the designs of the famous impostor Lambert Simnel. But Simnel being defeated at the decisive battle of Stoke, 6th of June, 1487, and Sir Richard Edgecombe being sent over the year after, to take new oaths of fidelity and allegiance from the nobility and principal men of the kingdom, the Earl, on the 21st of July, made his solemn oath of allegiance, and Sir Richard put a collar of the king's livery about his neck, to signify his majesty's entire reconciliation; and on the 30th, in St. Mary's church, at Dame's Gate, Dublin, delivering his certificate on oath, under the seal of his arms, as the obligation of his future allegiance and faith ful service, Sir Richard delivered to him the king's pardon under the great seal. He was continued in the government, and in 1489, in vaded Mac Geoghegan's country; took and destroyed the castle of Bileragh, and wasted the territory of Mary Cashel. In 1491, he was suspected by the king, of abet ting fresh conspiracies; but he speedily convinced him of the fallacy of his suspicions. His lordship having also (about 1494) been at variance with Plunket of Rathmore, did at length kill him, with most of his followers, near Trim; and afterwards forcing the Bishop of Meath from a church wherein he had taken sanctuary, for contumely and opposing his authority, he was sent to the king to answer for a l l the crimes h e had committed b y prosecuting his private enemies. He was also accused o f burning the church o f Cashel, which h e readily confessed, and swore, “that h e never would have done i t , but h e thought the archbishop was i n it.” This ingenuous confession o f the most aggravating circumstance, convinced the king that a person o f such natural innate plainness and simpli city, could not b e guilty o f the intrigues imputed t o him
