1581.] THE DESMOND REBELLION. 597 Protestant as lie was, grew weary of killing. In pity for the wretches who were still his countrymen, he pleaded that enough had been done, and that it was time for mercy ; and the Queen, at his instigation and Walsingham's, sent over a general pardon, from which only Desmond and his brothers were excluded. ' The Irish/ she said, ' were misled by a fear that she meant by a conquest to deprive them of their lands and liberties. She had no such thought or intention ; ' ' the realm of Ireland was hers already,' and ' if the people would show themselves obedient she would take them as her loving subjects.' In the opinion of Lord Grey, the turn to clemency was premature. ' If there be issue of a pardon now/ protested he, in a letter to Walsingham, ' farewell all. I marvel, sir, that you are so earnest in it as to think it can do no hurt. To have pardon offered when none is sought, will show the chiefs that her Ma- jesty is weary of the war.' 1 ' Your Majesty considers/ he wrote to the Queen, ' that the results of the war are not equal to its cost.' ' If taking of cows, killing of kerne and churles, had been worth advertising, I would have had every day to have troubled your Highness/
- If we make peace now, it will be a peace where your
Highness's laws are answered by none but a handful of the English Pale.' 2 Elizabeth, either from economy or good feeling, adhered to her view, but neither her hopes and Ormond's, nor the Deputy's fears, were realized. The Irish would not submit. The iron had entered too 1 Grey to Walsingham, April 24: I 2 Orey to the Queen, April 26, MSS. Ireland. i5 Sl : ^ ss - Ibid>
