e Glins by an inferior number of the enemy. Essex was so
enraged at this misbehavior, that he cashiered all the officers, and
decimated the private men.[*] But this act of seventy, though necessary,
had intimidated the soldiers, and increased their aversion to the
service.

The queen was extremely disgusted, when she heard that so considerable a
part of the season was consumed in these frivolous enterprises; and was
still more surprised, that Essex persevered in the same practice which
he had so much condemned in others, and which he knew to be so much
contrary to her purpose and intention. That nobleman, in order to give
his troops leisure to recruit from their sickness and fatigue, left the
main army in quarters, and marched with a small body of fifteen hundred
men into the county of Ophelie against the O'Connors and O'Mores, whom
he forced to a submission: but, on his return to Dublin, he found the
army so much diminished, that he wrote to the English council an account
of its condition, and informed them, that if he did not immediately
receive a reenforcement of two thousand men, it would be impossible for
him this season to attempt any thing against Tyrone. That there might be
no pretence for further inactivity, the queen immediately sent over the
number demanded;[**] and Essex began at last to assemble his forces for
the expedition into Ulster.

* Cox, p. 421.

** Birch's Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 430. Cox, p. 421.

The army was so averse to this enterprise, and so terrified with the
reputation of Tyrone, that many of them counterfeited sickness, many
of them deserted;[*] and Essex found, that after leaving the necessary
garrisons, he could scarcely lead four thousand men against the rebels.
He marched, however, with this small army; but was soon sensible, that
in so advanced a season, it would be impossible for him to effect any
thing against an enemy who, though superior in number, was determined to
avoid every decisive action. He hearkened, therefore, to a message sent
him by Tyrone, who desired a conference; and a place near the two camps
was appointed for that purpose. The generals met without any of their
attendants; and a river ran between them, into which Tyrone entered to
the depth of his saddle; but Essex stood on the opposite bank. After
half an hour's conference, where Tyrone behaved with great submission to
the lord lieutenant, a cessation of arms was concluded to the first of
May, renewable