[9] Subsequently, Donnell petitioned for official recognition as chief of Thomond, and St. Leger, though unable to grant his request, promised to write to Queen Mary in his favour.
Teige was shortly afterwards arrested by Lord-justice William FitzWilliam, and confined in Dublin Castle; but early in 1562 he escaped, and, being joined by Donnell, they opposed Thomond with a formidable army.
War broke out again in the following year; but the resources of the combatants were exhausted, and Sidney, when he visited Limerick in April 1567, described it as utterly impoverished owing to Thomond's "insufficiency to govern".
But being "seized with sorrow and regret for having surrendered his towns and prisoners", and determined never to "submit himself to the law, or to the mercy of the council of Ireland", he fled in the beginning of June to France.
[22] In Paris Thomond introduced himself on 18 July to Sir Henry Norris, 1st Baron Norreys, the English ambassador, and, after protesting his loyalty, begged him to intercede with Queen Elizabeth for his pardon.
Norris, who thought him a "barbarous man", wanting "neither vainglory or deceitfulness, and yet in his talk very simple", soon became aware that he was intriguing with the French court, and urged Elizabeth to coax him home at any price.
Elizabeth, though she spoke of him as a "person of small value" and declined to pardon him beforehand, was sufficiently alive to his power to do mischief, and promised if he returned to give his grievances a favourable hearing.
But Thomond showed no disposition to leave Paris, and Norris was forced to lend him a hundred crowns and make endless promises before he would consent to take his departure.
He surrendered his lands to the queen and obtained permission to go to England to solicit their restoration, but, owing to the rebellion of the Earl of Clanricarde's sons, his presence was required in Ireland.
He returned to Ireland about Christmas; but before his arrival, according to the "Four Masters", "the marshal had imposed a severe burden on his people, so that they were obliged to become tributary to the sovereign, and pay a sum of ten pounds for every barony, and this was the first tribute ever paid by the Dal Cais".