▁before ▁the ▁English ▁Council . ▁On ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁King ▁Henry ▁IV ▁of ▁England , ▁the ▁Lord ▁Lie uten ancy ▁of ▁his ▁son ▁the ▁Duke ▁of ▁ ▁Clar ence ▁automatically ▁la ps ed , ▁and ▁Thomas ' ▁ ▁Deput y ship ▁la ps ed ▁with ▁it . ▁ ▁Bot eller ▁accused ▁of ▁tre ason ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 4 1 7 ▁and ▁ 1 4 1 8 ▁he ▁was ▁engaged ▁in ▁a ▁private ▁war ▁with ▁the ▁Bur kes ▁in ▁Ti pper ary ▁and ▁Kil ken ny . ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁cl ash ▁with ▁John ▁Tal bot , ▁ 1 st ▁Earl ▁of ▁Sh rew s bury , ▁the ▁Lord ▁Lieutenant ▁of ▁Ireland , ▁who ▁supported ▁the ▁Bur kes , ▁and ▁whose ▁fe ud ▁with ▁Thomas ' ▁ ▁legit imate ▁half - bro ther ▁James ▁Butler , ▁ 4 th ▁Earl ▁of ▁Or mon de ▁would ▁domin ate ▁Irish ▁politics ▁for ▁many ▁years . ▁Thomas ▁was ▁accused ▁of ▁tre ason able ▁correspond ence ▁with ▁Ger ald ▁Fitz G er ald , ▁ 5 th ▁Earl ▁of ▁K ild are ▁and ▁Christopher ▁Pr eston , ▁ 2 nd ▁Baron ▁G orm an ston , ▁both ▁of ▁whom ▁were ▁briefly ▁imprison ed . ▁No ▁action ▁seems ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁taken ▁against ▁Thomas ▁himself : ▁he ▁was ▁repeatedly ▁sum mon ed ▁to ▁Parliament ▁but , ▁as ▁he ▁had ▁done ▁ ▁in ▁ 1 4 1 1 - 2 , ▁ ▁he ▁simply ▁refused ▁ ▁to ▁appear . ▁In ▁the ▁event ▁his ▁willing ness ▁to ▁lead ▁an