J44 REIGN OF ELIZABETH [01.42. his return, and Elizabeth in this point had not gratified his wishes. Lord Sussex had a sister with him in Dub- lin, and Shan sent an intimation that if the Deputy would take him for a brother-in-law their relations for the future might be improved. The present sovereign of England would perhaps give one of her daughters to the King of Dahomey with more readiness than the Earl of Sussex would have consigned his sister to Shan O'Neil ; yet he condescended to reply ' that he could not promise to give her against her will/ but if Shan would visit him ' he could see and speak with her, and if he liked her and she him they should both have his good will.' 1 Shan glanced at the tempting morsel with wist- ful eyes. Had he trusted himself in the hands of Sussex he would have had a short shrift for a blessing and a rough nuptial knot about his neck. At the last moment a little bird carried the tale to his ear. ' He had advertisement out of the Pale that the lady was brought over only to entrap him, and if he came to the Deputy he should never return.' 2 After this second failure Sussex told Elizabeth that she must either use force once more or she must be pre- pared to see first all Ulster and afterwards the whole 'Irishry' of the four provinces accept Shan for their sovereign. There was no sort of uncertainty as to O'Neil's intentions : he scarcely affected to conceal them. He had written to the Pope ; he was in correspondence with the Queen of Scots ; he had established secret relations 1 Sussex to the Queen, September 20 : Irish MSS. 2 Sussex to Elizabeth, September 29 : Irish MSS.
