Cess was also commanded to be delivered at the “Queen’s price,” which was considerably lower than the market price.  Even Sidney was supposed to be too lenient in his exactions; but eventually a composition of seven years’ purveyance, payable by instalments, was agreed upon, and the question was set at rest.  The Queen and the English Council naturally feared to alienate the few nobles who were friendly to them, as well as the inhabitants of the Pale, who were as a majority in their interest.

The Pale was kept in considerable alarm at this period, by the exploits of the famous outlaw, Rory Oge O’More.  In 1577 he stole into Naas with his followers, and set the town on fire; after this exploit he retired, without taking any lives.  He continued these depredations for eighteen years.  In 1571 he was killed by one of MacGillapatrick’s men, and the Pale was relieved from a most formidable source of annoyance.  But the same year in which this brave outlaw terminated his career, is signalized by one of the most fearful acts of bloodshed and treachery on record.  The heads of the Irish families of Offaly and Leix, whose extirpation had long been attempted unsuccessfully, were invited in the Queen’s name, and under the Queen’s protection, to attend a conference at the great rath on the hill of Mullach-Maistean (Mullamast).  As soon as they had all assembled, they were surrounded by a treble line of the Queen’s garrison soldiers, and butchered to a man in cold blood.

This massacre was performed with the knowledge and approval of the Deputy, Sir Henry Sidney.  The soldiers who accomplished the bloody work were commanded by Captain Francis Crosby, to whom the chief command of all the kerne in the Queen’s pay was committed.  We have already related some incidents in his career, which show how completely destitute he was of the slightest spark of humanity.[441]

Sir Henry Sidney retired from office finally on the 26th of May, 1578.  He dates his Memoir from “Ludlow Castell, with more payne than harte, the 1st of March, 1582.”  In this document he complains bitterly of the neglect of his services by Government, and bemoans his losses in piteous strains.  He describes himself as “fifty-four yeres of age, toothlesse and trembling, being five thousand pounds in debt.”  He says he shall leave his sons L20,000 worse off than his father left him.  In one place he complains that he had not as much ground as would “feede a mutton,” and he evidently considers his services were worth an ampler remuneration; for he declares:  “I would to God the country was yet as well as I lefte it almost fyve yeres agoe.”  If he did not succeed in obtaining a large grant for his services, it certainly was not for want of asking it; and if he did not succeed in pacifying the country, it was not for lack of summary measures.  Even in his postscript he mentions how he hanged a captain of Scots, and he thinks “very nere twenty of his men.”