and took the unusual course of addressing the parliament of England on the subject. But Walsingham, to whom he submitted the letter (printed in the ‘Government of Ireland,’ pp. 44 sq.) promptly suppressed it, on the ground that the queen would certainly resent any one but herself moving parliament. Nor indeed did his manner of dealing with the Hebridean Scots argue well for his ability to carry out his more ambitious project. Scarcely three months had elapsed since the expulsion of Sorley Boy before he again succeeded in effecting a landing on the coast of Antrim. He was anxious, he declared, to become a loyal subject of the crown, if only he could obtain legal ownership of the territory he claimed. But Perrot insisted on unqualified submission, and, despite the remonstrances of the council, began to make preparations for a fresh expedition against him. When Elizabeth heard of his intention, she was greatly provoked, and read him a sharp lecture on ‘such rash, unadvised journeys without good ground as your last journey in the north.’ As it happened, Sir Henry Bagenal and Sir William Stanley were quite able to cope with Sorley Boy, and the Irish parliament being appointed to meet on 26 April, after an interval of sixteen years, Perrot found sufficient to occupy his attention in Dublin.
A German nobleman who happened to be visiting Ireland was greatly impressed with his appearance at the opening of parliament, and declared that, though he had travelled all over Europe, he had never seen any man comparable to him ‘for his port and majesty of personage.’ But Perrot's attempt to ‘manage’ parliament proved a complete failure. A bill to suspend Poynings' Act, which he regarded as necessary to facilitate legislation, was rejected on the third reading by a majority of thirty-five. Another bill, to substitute a regular system of taxation in lieu of the irregular method of cess, shared a similar fate, and Perrot could only prorogue parliament, and advise the punishment of the leaders of the opposition. Tired of his inactivity, Perrot resumed his plan of a northern campaign, and having appointed Loftus and Wallop, who strongly disapproved of his intention, justices in his absence, he set out for Ulster on 16 July. But misfortune dogged his footsteps. For hardly had he reached Dungannon when wet weather rendered further progress impossible. His time, however, was not altogether wasted. For besides settling certain territorial differences between Turlough Luineach O'Neill and Hugh O'Neill, earl of Tyrone [q. v.], he reduced Ulster to shire ground. He returned to Dublin at the beginning of September. Six weeks later Sorley Boy recaptured Dunluce Castle, and resumed his overtures for denization. Perrot, who was ‘touched with the stone,’ and provoked at the coolness of his colleagues, felt the disgrace bitterly, and begged to be recalled. Eventually he consented to pardon Sorley Boy, and to grant him letters of denization on what were practically his own terms. In one respect Perrot could claim to have been fairly successful. The composition of Connaught and Thomond with which his name is associated, though proving by no means commensurate with his expectations, and due in a large measure to the initiative of Sir Henry Sidney, was a work which undoubtedly contributed to the peace and stability of the western province. Parliament reassembled on 26 April 1586, and, after passing acts for the attainder of the Earl of Desmond and Viscount Baltinglas, was dissolved on 14 May.
With Loftus and Wallop Perrot had long been on terms of open hostility, and even Sir Geoffrey Fenton, who at first found him ‘affable and pleasing,’ had since come to change his opinion in that respect. Perrot, it is true, could count on the devotion of Sir Nicholas White and Sir Lucas Dillon; but their influence in the council was comparatively small, and their goodwill exposed him to the charge of pursuing an anti-English policy. Nor were his relations outside the council much better. Sir John Norris and Captain Carleil had long complained of his overbearing and tyrannical behaviour. Perrot's conduct towards Sir Richard Bingham added him to the long list of avowed enemies. Early in September 1586 a large body of redshanks invaded Connaught at the invitation of the Burkes of county Mayo, and Bingham, who felt himself unable to cope with them, sent to Perrot for reinforcements. The deputy not only complied with his request, but, in opposition to the advice of the council, went to Connaught himself. He had, however, only reached Mullingar when he received information that the Scots and their allies had been completely overthrown and almost annihilated by Bingham at Ardnaree on the river Moy. But instead of returning to Dublin, he continued his journey to Galway, though by so doing he inflicted a heavy and unnecessary expense on the country. His own statement that he had been invited thither was manifestly untrue. But whether he was jealous of Bingham's success, as seems likely, or whether he really disapproved of his somewhat arbitrary method of
