day's events were hastening a general alliance between
the secondary chieftains of the Province and the two
leading spirits. The O'Ruarc and Maguire were attacked
by Bingham, and successfully defended themselves until
the Lord Deputy and the Marshal also marched against
them, summoning O'Neil to their aid. The latter, feeling
that the time was not yet ripe, temporized with Fitzwilliam
during the campaign of 1593, and though in the field at
the head of his horsemen, nominally for the Queen, he
seems to have rather employed his opportunities to promote
that Northern Union which he had so much at heart.




CHAPTER VIII.

THE ULSTER CONFEDERACY--FEAGH MAC HUGH O'BYRNE--CAMPAIGN
OF 1595--NEGOTIATIONS, ENGLISH AND SPANISH--BATTLE OF
THE YELLOW FORD--ITS CONSEQUENCES.

In the summer of 1594 the cruel and mercenary Fitzwilliam
was succeeded by Sir William Russell, who had served the
Queen, both in Ireland "and in divers other places beyond
sea, in martial affairs." In lieu of the arbitrary exaction
of county cess--so grossly abused by his predecessor--the
shires of the Pale were to pay for the future into the
Treasury of Dublin a composition of 2,100 pounds per
annum, out of which the fixed sum of 1,000 pounds was
allowed as the Deputy's wages. Russell's administration