England, returning to Ireland in May 1579, with the higher title of president of Connaught. After the failure of Essex's colonisation project, his grant of MacCartan's country had been, by Sidney's advice, revoked; but he, on 12 April 1579, received a grant of the manor and lordship of Roscommon, together with an annual rent of 200l. out of the composition paid by the O'Farrells, and certain lands in Longford. During his absence in England his officers and soldiers behaved badly, but Connacht remained tranquil; on the outbreak of James Fitzmaurice's Second Desmond Rebellion in July, Malby, with six hundred troops, marched to Limerick to co-operate with the lord justice, Sir William Drury. Owing to Drury's illness the task of suppressing the rebellion devolved mainly upon him. On 3 October he defeated Sir John and Sir James of Desmond at Monasteranenagh in county Limerick. He strongly suspected the Earl of Desmond of disloyalty, and after several ineffectual efforts to secure his co-operation, treated him as a rebel; while Desmond complained that Malby's severity was a chief cause of his rebellion. On the arrival of the Earl of Ormonde in November with a commission to command the army in Munster, Malby returned to his charge in Connacht. He belonged to the Leicester faction, and for this and other more personal reasons bore no goodwill to Ormonde, whom he subsequently charged with misrepresenting his services in Munster, and with abetting disorder in Connacht. With the exception of Richard Burke, called Richard of the Iron, or Iron Dick, none of the Connacht chiefs had shown any active sympathy with the Munster rebels. In February 1580 Malby invaded his country and drove him to seek safety among the islands in Clew Bay. After suffering the most terrible privations, Richard of the Iron submitted to the garrison at Burrishoole. During the siege of Carrigafoyle, Malby assisted the operations of the lord justice, Sir William Pelham, with supplies from Connacht. In August O'Rourke, expecting foreign assistance, rebelled and dismantled the castle of Leitrim. Malby immediately took the field against him, repaired and garrisoned the castle, and routed the rebels. Then, hastening to Dublin to the assistance of the lord deputy, Arthur, Lord Grey of Wilton, against Baltinglas and Fiach McHugh O'Byrne, he witnessed the defeat of the English forces at battle of Glenmalure. O'Rourke was again in arms and Malby returned to Connacht. O'Rourke fled at his