This was not the earl's meaning, but it indicated to him pretty plainly that he had no favour to expect from that quarter.

The office was intended for Sir Arthur Chichester, and he much feared that it would be used for his destruction without his majesty's privity.

Therefore, seeing himself envied by those who should be his protectors, considering the misery sustained by others through the oppression of the like government, he resolved to sacrifice all rather than live under that yoke.
The next item is very characteristic.

The earl's nephew Brian M'Art happened to be in the house of Turlough M'Henry, having two men in his company.

Being in a merry humour, some dispute arose between him and a kinsman of his own, who 'gave the earl's nephew a blow of a club on the head, and tumbled him to the ground; whereupon, one of his men standing by and seeing his master down, did step up with the fellow and gave him some three or four stabs of a knife, having no other weapon, and the master himself, as it was said, gave him another, through which means the man came to his death.