Above: King of England (Edward III)

The English Government quickly realised its weakness in the establishment of these almost sovereign princes, and attempted spasmodically to correct its mistake.   But its efforts to curb  the power of the nobles were lacking in  both strength andconsistency.  

Indeed, the relations between the Crown and its nominal subjects in Ireland were henceforward even more capricious and uncertain than they had hitherto been.   In 1331, Desmond and many of the other leading nobles were taken prisoners because they refused to attend the Parliament summoned by the Lord Lieutenant, but in a year and a half the policy was  changed,   and   they   were   released.  

  A  sterner measure was taken in 1341, when the King of England (Edward III) ordered the Viceroy to revoke all grants and patents made by the King or his father, and to remove from office every one but Englishmen by birth who had possessions in England.

The Anglo-Irish lords were filled with •anger and resentment, and when the Lord Deputy called them to a Parliament in Dublin they refused to attend, but summoned an opposition Parliament, at Kilkenny, at which they drew up a protest, impeaching in strong terms the English officials for their incompetence and corruption (fH2).

Then the King changed his policy, revoked his directions, and redressed some of the grievances of the lords. But when the Anglo-Irish failed to respond adequately to his demand for help in his war against France he again reverted to coercion. A new Lord Justice (Ufford) was sent across with instructions to repress the lords (1344).

Desmond again refused to attend Parliament, and tried to convene another opposition one. But Ufford suddenly marched into the territories of Desmond, captured by trickery some of his strongest castles, hanged three of his knights who were their ” constables,” and took possession of a great part of his lands.

Above: siege of Calais

Next he captured the Earl of Kildare by stratagem. But again the policy changed on the death of Ufford in 1346. The lords were confirmed in their grants by the King, and in return they aided him in his French wars, the Earl of Kildare distinguishing himself at the siege of Calais ; and soon afterwards the rebellious Desmond appears as the King’s representative (1355), and is succeeded in that capacity by both Ormond (1359) and Kildare (1360).