186: FITZPATRICK. nant of the King's and Queen's counties, with control over several settlements of the natives in the neighbourhood, in which office he employed so much zeal and activity, that in the following year the lord deputy reported that the O’Mores and O'Connors did not exceed the number of one hundred fighting men, of whom few were compe tent to lead any exploit, and stated that this great reduction of their power was principally owing to the exertions of the Baron of Upper Ossory. In 1578, Rory Oge O'More, having committed great depredations in Carlow, dispatched a trusty spy for the purpose of inveigling his powerful persecutor, Fitzpatrick, to inform him, in great friendship and secrecy, that Rory had taken a great plunder from the county of Kilkenny, which might easily be recovered, and himself taken pri soner, as he had but few of his adherents with him. His lordship, suspicious of the integrity of his informer, resolved not wholly to neglect his advice, but to take with him a sufficient force to prevent treachery, and on approaching the place appointed, he sent forward thirty of his followers to search for Rory, himself remaining with the larger body to attend the event. The company had no sooner entered the wood, than Rory advanced with about an equal number of men, the remainder continuing in ambush; but his lordship's soldiers immmediately attacking him, he was slain in the combat; a service of great importance to the English government, O'More having been long a trouble some and dangerous adversary to the Pale. The lord deputy on receipt of the intelligence, immediately offered him the sum of 1000 marcs, being the price set upon O'More's head by proclamation; his lordship, however, refused i t , and a t length accepted o f 100l., which h e divided among his soldiers. I n the following year, h e attended the deputy into Munster against James Fitz maurice, who had arrived there a t the head o f some Spa niards; for which, a s well a s for his former services, h e was rewarded with a pension. I n 1580, Sir Henry Sydney, i n his instructions t o his successor i n the government,
