Indeed, those who bore authority under the Earl showed neither justice, judgment, nor stoutness in the Deputy's opinion, and the townsmen of Clonmel, Cashel, and Fethard, sustained him in his dislike of the palatinate jurisdiction. Trade was so much interrupted by violence that the towns underwent the inconveniences of a perpetual siege. Lord Dunboyne with his brother and son were sent to Dublin Castle. 'If maintenance of proclaimed rebels,' said Patrick Sherlock, openly at Fethard in his lordship's presence and in that of the Deputy, 'murderers, and burners of corn and houses, are treason to the Queen's person, then I have to accuse him of treason.' Edward Butler was tried at Clonmel and acquitted, yet Sidney thought a good moral effect would result from the mere fact of bringing the Earl's brother into court.
The county of Waterford was also disturbed by the Power kerne and others, who had been used to live by coyne and livery. That exaction having been repressed by St. Leger and his colleagues, they betook themselves to undisguised rapine. Lord Power was also sent to the Castle, as the best means of inducing his followers to amend their lives. Sir Maurice Fitzgerald's county contrasted favourably both with Lord Power's and with the Desmond territory about Youghal, but the chief was somewhat too ready to take the law into his own hands.
Youghal itself had suffered much from pirates. Here Desmond appeared, and Sidney went into the controversy about the possession of Kilsheelan and some other manors. He found that Ormonde was in the right, and from the time that decision was given Desmond gave him all the trouble in his power. 'Your name,' said the Deputy to Queen Elizabeth, 'is no more reverenced, nor letters of commandment obeyed, within any place within his rule, than it would be in the kingdom of France.' But the greater part of the noblemen and gentlemen of Cork came to Sidney craving justice and protection against the Desmond tyranny.
[Sidenote: Horrible destitution of the people.]
The absence of a stable government and the trade with Spain had, in Sidney's opinion, so weakened the Crown that Philip might, with 3,000 men and 20,000_l._, become supreme in Munster and Connaught, which 20,000 men and 100,000_l._ would not suffice to recover. The whole county of Cork was waste, the villages burned, and everywhere were exposed 'bones and skulls of the dead subjects, who, partly by murder, partly by famine, have died in the fields, as in troth hardly any Christian with dry eyes could behold.' Women upon the point of becoming mothers were murdered by one of Desmond's vassals, and the Earl lodged and feasted in the murderer's house. 'Surely,' said Sidney, 'there was never people that lived in more misery than they do, nor as it should seem of worse minds, for matrimony among them is no more regarded in effect than conjunction between unreasonable beasts. Perjury, robbery, and murder counted allowable. Finally, I cannot find that they make any conscience of sin, and I doubt whether they christen their children or no; for neither find I place where it should be done, nor any person able to instruct them in the rules of a Christian; or if they were taught I see no grace in them to follow it; and when they die I cannot see they make any account of the world to come.'[121]