held here for the Province of Connaght And being also the greatest Through-fare from Lynster to Connaght and so from thence to Dublin will in all probability cause it in time to become a flourishing place though now but beginning to revive from its late dessolation to its pristine lustre In the Province of Ulster Both situated on the Sea side Carlingford and Dundalke and within the County of Louth likely to be thriving places by reason of their convenient situation for Traffick and the brave planted Countries with English thereabouts Knockefergus Knockefergus the chief of Antrim more proper Rockefergus and in that sence called Carigfergus by the Irish from one of the Kings of the Irish-Scots who there suffered Shipwrack Seated upon a large and capacious Bay which giveth it both a safe and Commodious Port as well by natural situation as the works of Art very strongly fortified by reason of the Neighbourhood of the Scots in Cantire from which little distant London-Derry London-Derry a Colony of Londoners the best built Town of any in the North of Ireland Situate in a Peninsula of forty Acres on the one side environed a great part of it with a River and on the other side impassable by reason of the Soyle alwaies deep and moorish This City being thus strongly situated by Nature and made stronger by Art will with the rest of the chief Towns of this Province soon become very considerable in point of Wealth and Power by reason of the speedy planting of this Northern part of the Kingdome by the great confluence of the Neighbouring Scots with many others who yeerly repair hither out of England and Wales upon the same score which benefit and advantage was timely experimented by the Officers of the Army who have been conceived to be more fortunate especially at first by receiving their Lots in this Province though computed the meanest and so accordingly rated in their Quit-Rents than they who got their respective proportions of Land for their Arrears in the other two Provinces of Lynster and Munster which fell in the main upon the first settlement much short of mens expectations as to this particular In the Province of Lynster Weishford or Wexford Wexford situate on the mouth of the River Slane The first of all the Towns in Ireland which received a Colony of English This Town holds a very good correspondency by way of Traffick with the City of Bristol and hath before it within a Sandy Bar lying between it and the Sea a fair Pool wherein most commonly are taken yearly great store of Herrings which are Transported beyond Sea to the great benefit of this place The River is Navigable by small Boats up to Ynish-corfey about six miles above this Town where there is a good quantity of Iron made which is carryed down this River to be dispersed into several parts of Ireland c. Kilkenny Kilkenny on the River Newre the chief Seat of the Bishop of Ossery and the fairest Town of all the Islands So called quasi Cella Cannici the Cell or Monastery of Canninus a man of great renown in those days for Piety in these parts of the Country This City besides that is situated in a very brave and well inhabited Country is also honored with two Noble Seats of the Duke of Ormond in and neer it that is to say the Castle of Kilkenny in it and Donmore House neer it Ross Ross once populous well Traded and of large circumference but of late very ruinous nothing almost remaining but the Walls which were built by Isabel the daughter of Richard Strongbow Earl of Pembroke the fortunate Conqueror of this Island for King Henry the Second now beginning to be pretty well inhabited and well deserving to be farther improved by the advance of Manufactury and Commerce as being situated upon a brave Navigable River where Ships of four or five hundred Tun may safely ride before the Key of it As yet destitute of any considerable Trade by reason of its too neer neighborhood to the City of Waterford But when the Country thereabouts comes to be better inhabited with English then it may be well hoped this Town will become a place of good consideration and consequence Caterlough commonly but corruptly Carlough Carlough having in it a strong Castle and being the chief of that County is now from a very mean beginning having been wholy destroyed by the late Wars grown to be a very fine Market Town increasing both in Wealth and good Buildings Situated neer a pleasant River Navigable by Boats from Ross hither placed in a fertile and well inhabited Countrey thirty miles from Dublin and in a very convenient Stage thither from the greatest part of Munster and a good part of the Province of Leinster which doth and will hereafter much conduce to its enlargement Tredagh Tredagh more properly Droghedagh situate on the River Boine on the edge of Vlster to which Province belongs so much of the Town as lieth on the North side of that River A very faire and populous City as well by Art as Nature very strongly fortified and furnished with a large and Commodious Haven It took the name Droghedah from the Bridge there built upon the River for the conveniency of passage as the word signifieth in that Language and therefore called Pontena by some Latine Writers Dublin Dublin supposed to be the Eblana of Ptolomie by the Irish called Balacleigh because being seated in a fenny and moorish Soil it was built on Piles as the word doth signifie in that Language Situate at or neer the mouth of the River Liffe which affordeth it a commodious Haven but that the entrances thereof are many times encumbred with heaps of Sand. The City very Rich and Populous as being the Metropolis of all the Island the Seat of the Lord Deputy an Arch-bishops See and an University besides the benefit redounding from the Courts of Justice In those respects well fortified against all emergencies and adorned with many goodly Buildings both private and publick The Principal of which are the Castle wherein the Lord Deputy resideth built by Henry Loundres once once Arch-Bishop here a Colledge founded by Queen Elizabeth to the honor and by the name of the Blessed Trinity The Cathedral Church dedicated to Saint Patrick the Apostle of the Irish Nation a fair Collegiate Church called Christ-Church besides thirteen others destinated to Parochial Meetings Being destroyed almost to nothing in the Danish War it was re-edified by Harald sirnamed Harfarger King of the Norwegians then Masters of most part of the Island and after the subjection of it to the Crown of England was peopled with a Colonie of Bristol men This may be farther observed that though Dublin is not seated in the best and most convenient place that is in the middle yet it is seated in the second best that is over against the middle of Ireland and directly opposite to the neerest passage into
he termeth infinitam vim Britannicarum dictionum that the Britains first peopled this Land And although of a long time by reason of troubles and alterations the speech grew wholly out of use yet afterwards in success of time it was revived Secondly the British and Irish oft Matched together so that there grew among them great alliance and affinity to the fartherance of the Language Thirdly the first Conquerors in Henry the Seconds time that brake the Ice into this Land were Welch-men whose Names and Seats to this day are fresh in memory As for instance in the Dioces of Leighlin there is a Town called Villa Wallicorum the Town of Welch men Careg and Craig in the British or Welch Tongue is a Stone or Rock and of the Britains Carreggferggus Carreggmont-Griffiin Carregg in Shurie Carrigguaspin and Craigwading have their Names Likewise Llis in British is a Court or Palace of that in Ireland you have Lismore Lisfenyn Lislofty Lismakery Glan and Glyn are British words of them have you Glangibbon Glandoboy Glanreynold Glynburry Glyndelory Glynmoloura c. Inis an Island is British and Irish of which kind are Inissirocan Inishoven Inisdiok Inisuag Iniscorthie and the like Rath a Moat or round Trench whereof there are many in Ireland made by the Danes if Beda had not said that it was a Saxon word I would have said it had been British and how many names of places are compounded with it in Ireland were too long to reherse I will here give Stainhurst leave to conclude Omnes Insulae locos lucos Wallici nominis gloria implevit the renown of the Welch name saith he hath filled all the ways and woods of the Island The Irish are now generally bred both to read and speak the English Tongue The Irish are commonly of a large and handsome proportion of body clear of Skin and Hue. Their Women are well Favoured clear Coloured fair handed big and large suffered from their infancy to grow at Will nothing curious of their feature and proportion of body The Common sort of People in Ireland do feed generally upon Milk Dyet Butter Curds and Whey New bread made of Oat meal Beans Barly and Pease and sometimes of Wheat upon Festivals their bread being baked every day against the fire Most of their Drink is Butter-milk and Whey They feed much also upon Parsnips Potatoes and Water-cresses and in those Countreys bordering on the Sea upon Sea weeds as Dullusck Slugane but seldome eat Flesh The middle sott of the Irish Gentry differ not much from the same kind of Dyet save only that they oftner feed upon Flesh eat better Bread and drink Beer more frequently They are all of them when opportunity offers it self too much inclined to drink Beer and Vsquebagh to an excess And both Men and Women of all sorts extreamly addicted to take Tobacco in a most abundant manner The best sort of Irish do imitate the English both in Dyet and Apparel but not without a palpable difference most commonly in the mode of their Entertainment Atâ—â—â—e Trouses and Mantles were till King James and King Charles his Reign the general habit of the Irish their Mantles serving many times as a fit house for an Out-Law a meet bed for a Rebel and an apt cloak for a Thief But now the Men wear their cloaths altogether after the English fashion having converted their Mantles into Cloaks with which kind of wear they are much affected Formerly they used no Hats but Caps made of Irish Frize called Cappeenes and even now the middle sort of Gentry seldome wear Bands unless they go abroad amongst Strangers The Common sort of People both Men and Women wear no English Shoos but things called Irish Brogues thin soled somewhat like our Poumps and sowed altogether with Leather The ordinary sort ef Irish Women wear a kind of loose Gowns without stiffening with Petticoats and Wascoats without any Bodys having linnen Kerchers about their heads instead of head-cloaths and never using hats but covering their heads with their Mantles to save themselves from rain or the heat of the Sun The Irish Gentry are musically disposed Recreations therefore many of them play singular well upon the Irish-Harp they affect also to play at Tables The Common sort meet oftentimes in great numbers in plain Meadows or Ground to recreate themselves at a play called Bandy with Balls and crooked Sticks much after the manner of our play at Stoe-ball they are much given to Dancing after their Countrey way and the men to play upon the Jews-Harp and at Cards but for no great value The Irish Names Irish Names of Baptism are generally Teig Patrick Turlough Murrogh Mortoch Donoch Loughlin Dermot c. with many other Names made use of there as well as here in England as namely John Edmund Edward Thomas William James c. Sirnames For the better breaking of the Heads and Septs of the Irish which was one of their greatest strength and motive to lead them to Rebellion there was a law made in Ireland in the Reign of King Edward the Fourth by which it was commanded that whereas all men then used to be called by the name of their Septs according to the several Nations and had no Sirnames at all that from thenceforth each one should take upon himself a several Sirname either of his trade and faculty or of some quality of his body or mind or the place where he dwelt so as every one should be distinguished from the other or from the most part whereby they should not only not depend upon the head of their Sept as then they did but also in time learn quite to forget the Irish Nation And herewithall would I also wish all the O's and Mac's which the Heads of Septs have taken to their names to be utterly forbidden and extinguished For that the same being an Ordinance as some say first made by O Brien for for the strengthning of the Irish the abrogating thereof will as much infeeble them The custome of prefixing the vowel O to many of the chief Irish Sirnames began in the Reign of Brien Boria the son of Kennethy King of Ireland As for Mac in Sirnames it beareth no other signification then Fitz doth amongst the French and from them the English and Ap with the Welch And although it were more anciently used then the other yet it varied according to the Fathers Name and became not so soon fully settled in families CHAP. III. Of the Government THe Government Government of Ireland by Vice-Roys or Deputies were from the first entrance of the English under Henry the Second till King Edward the Third's days called Justicers of Ireland and Justicers and Keepers of the Land of Ireland then Lieutenants and their Vicegerent Deputies The Vice-Roys or Deputies of Ireland diversly named at sundry times Afterward they were at the Prince his pleasure tearmed somtimes Deputies somtimes Justicers and sometimes Lieutenants which is a
thereof she most happily brought it to an end by the utter overthrow of the said Tyrone and the Spanish Forces at the Siege of Kingsale under the prudent conduct of the Lord Montjoy then Lord Deputy of Ireland in the eighth year after it brake forth which Rebellion had been begun upon private grudges intermixed with ambition cherished by contempt and parsimony in England spread over all Ireland by pretext of restoring the Romish Religion and hope of unbridled licentiousness and impunity Strengthened by the light credulity of some and secret favour of others which were of great authority as also by one or two prosperous successes Spanish Pentions Spanish Forces and Papal Indulgences and protected by the wicked emulations of the English by a by-partite Government the covetousness of the old Soldiers the cunning practices of Tyrone by his dissembled truces and submissions by the protections of Malefactors bought for money the most cumbersom difficulty of places and by the desperate kind of men safer in the nimbleness of their heels than stableness in Battle The waies propounded in Q. Elizabeths Reign to establish a perpetual peace in Ireland This War proving thus difficult and very tedious and like to have been also very dangerous in case Tyrone and the Spaniards had prevailed at Kingsale caused many wise and worthy persons of the English party to advise of the best ways that could be thought on how the Irish after the suppression of this Rebellion might be assuredly contained in their future Obedience to the Crown of England and not be subject to those frequent relapses whereof the English and the honester sort of Irish had too often had a sad experience in the conclusion of which debate it was generally agreed upon that the fittest remedy and expedient to prevent all those future mischiefs and inconveniences would be upon the subduing of Tyrone and his Confederates to transplant the Rebels of Vlster into Leinster and those of Leinster into Vlster and to give all their Lands to such English as should be invited to come out of England to Plant the same with such Estates as should be thought meet and for such rents as in the whole would maintain four thousand five hundred Soldiers and those disposed of as now they are in very advantageous and well fortified Garrisons which might prove an exceeding good thing both to her Highness to have so many old Soldiers alwaies ready at a call to what purpose soever she please to imploy them and also to have that Land thereby so strengthened that it should neither fear any forreign Invasion nor practice which the Irish should ever attempt but should keep them under in continual awe and firm obedience This was therefore a notorious Error and proved as you have heard of sad consequence to the first English Adventurers and Conquerers of this Kingdome not to have ascertained by way of Chiefry to be raised yearly out of the Conquered Lands a â—ompetent maintenance for the perpetual continuing of five or six thousand Soldiers in pay which should have been disposed of in several strong Garrisons through all Ireland as aforesaid then would have followed that the Laws of England might have been as freely communiâ—ated to the Irish as well as to the English Colonies without any need of turning the Irish into Desarts and Mountains still to continue them in their Barbarisme but rather to have made use of them as the present English Planters do for their Tenants and Labourers to the great benefit and security of the Publick as well as the Private advantage of the English in Ireland And this was the course which the Romans observed in the Conquest of England for they planted some of their Legions in all places convenient the which they caused the Counntry to maintain by cutting upon every portion of Land a reasonable rent which they called Romescot the which might not surcharge the Tenant or Free-holder and might defray the pay of the Garrisons And this hath been alwaies observed by all Princes in all Countries to them newly subdued to set Garrisons amongst them to keep them in duty whose burthen they made them to bear and the want of this Ordinance in the first Conquest of Ireland by Henry the Second was the cause of the so short decay of that Government and the quick recovery again of the Irish therefore by all means this was to be provided for And this was thought to be worthy of blame that in the Planting of Munster after the suppression of the Earl of Desmond's Rebellion Anno 1580. that no care was had of this Ordinance nor any strength of Garrison provided for by a certain allowance out of all the forfeited Lands but only the present profit looked into and the safe continuance thereof for ever thereafter neglected Under every of those English men were to be placed some of those Irish to be Tenants for a certain Rent according to the quantity of such Land as every man should have alloted to him and should be able to Weild wherein this special regard was to be had that in no place under any Landlord there should be many of them placed together but dispersed wide from their acquaintance and scattered far abroad through all the Country for that was the evil which was then found in Ireland that the Irish dwelt together by their Septs and several Nations so as they might practice or conspire what they pleased whereas if there had been English well placed amongst them they should not have been able once to stir or murmur but that it should be known and they shortned according to their demerits But King James being swayed by milder Councils How far K. James proceeded in the Reformation and settlement of Ireland though Tyrone and all his Adherents had absolutely submitted themselves both as to life and estate to be at his Majesties pleasure did by a General Act of State calâ—ed The Act of Oblivion published by Proclamation under the great Seal remit and utterly extinguish all offences against the Crown and all particular Trespasses between Subject and Subject done at any time before his Majesties Reign to all such as would come into the Justice of the Assize by a certain day and claim the benefit of this Act. And by the same Proclamation all the Irishry who for the most part in former times were left under the tyranny of their Lords and Chieftains and had no defence or Justice from the Crown were received into his Majesties immediate protection The Publick Peace being thus established the State proceeded next to establish the Publick Justice in every part of the Realm by dividing all Ireland into Shires and erecting Circuits in every Province and Governing all things therein according to the Laws of England But being it was impossible to make a Common-wealth in Ireland without performing another service which was the settling of all the Estates and Possessions as well of Irish as English throughout the Kingdome
ere long afford yearly some competent supply of money towards the filling of the English Exchequer by way of retaliation in lieu of those many and great Summs sent at several times out of England for the support of this so long unhappy Kingdom The premisses being therefore seriously and duly considered I think I may safely conclude that that Eternal Peace of Ireland so solidly discoursed of and stoutly fought for in Q. Elizabeths time And very far proceeded in by K. James Is now absolutely established as I said according to all humane appearance by his gracious Majesty our dread Sovereign K. Charles the Second who long may he live in all earthly happiness so that I suppose it may be now more truly said then ever that Ireland which formerly served but as a Grave to bury our best men and a Gulf to swallow our greatest Treasures is brought by the prudence and policy of her late Kings and Lord Deputies to be an Orderly Common-Wealth civil in it self and in time like to prove profitable to the Prince and at all times a good additional strength to the Brittish Empire PART II. CHAP. I. Of Its Name Climate Dimensions Division Aire Soil Commodities Money and Buildings Name Climate IReland was once called Scotia from the Scots who inhabited there and Scotia major to distinguish it from Scotland in the Isle of Britain But the general Name hereof is Ireland by the Latins called Hibernia by the Greeeks Iernia And though some frame a wrested Etymology from Iberus a Spanish Captain and some from Irnaulph once a supposed Duke hereof as others ab Hyberno aâre the winter-like and inclement air Yet probably the Name proceeded from Erin which signifieth in their own language a Western Land And yet we must not pretermit the Etymon given us by Bochartus more neer the name than most of his other Fancies who will have it called Hibernia from Ibernae a Phaenician word signifying the farthest Habitation there being no Country known amongst the Antients which lay West of Ireland and is seated under the eighth and tenth Climates the longest day being 16 hours and a half in the Southern and 17 hours 3 quarters in the Northern parts It is in length 300. and in breadth Dimension 120. Miles in shape some have formed it like an Egge and others compared it to the Fore-leg of a Boar if the simile breed no offence contains by computation about fifteen millions of Acres it is about halfe as big as England and Wales and much about the same bigness as Scotland including the Islands thereunto belonging Division It was divided antiently into five Provinces each one a Kingdom in it self that is to say 1. Leinster 2. Meath 3. Vlster 4. Connaght and 5. Mounster but of late time the Province of Meath is reckoned for a member or part of Leinster within these four Provinces according to the latest Division are conteined 2328. Parishes Leinster This Province the Natives call Leighingh the Britains Lein in Latine Lagenia in the antient lives of the Saints Lagen and in English Leinster It lyeth Eastward along the Hibernicum Sea on Connaght side Westward it is bounded with the River Shanon the North with the Territory of Louth and the South with part of the Province of Mâ—â—nster The Country butteth upon England as Mounster and Connaght do on Spain The Form Form thereof is Triangle and sides not much unequal from her South-East unto the West point about 80 miles from thence to her North-west about 70 miles and her East coast along the Irish Sea-shore eighty miles the Circumference upon two hundred and seventy miles The Aire Aire is clear and gentle mixt with a temperate disposition yeilding neither extremity of Heat or Cold according to the seasonable times of the Year and the natural condition of the Continent The Soil is generally Fruitful Plentiful both in Fish and Flesh and in other Victuals as Butter Cheese and Milk It is Fertile in Corn Cattle and Pasture ground and now in a much better way of improving than formerly in regard the English do generally affect to inhabite in this Province more than in any other part of Ireland by reason of its neerer Neighbourhood to the Metropolitan City of Dublin and bordering so neer upon England doth thereby consequently afford them both more pleasure and profit It is well watered with Rivers and indifferently well Wooded except the County of Develin which complains much of that want being so destitute of Wood that they are compelled to use a clammy kind of fat Turff for their Fuel or Sea-coal brought out of England The Commodities Commodities of this Country do chiefly consist in Cattle Sea-Fowl and Fish It breeds many excellent good Horses called Irish Hobbies which have not the same pace that other Horses have in their course but a soft and round amble setting very easily Division This Province containeth the Counties of Kilkenny Caterlogh Queens County Kings County Kildare East-Meath West-Meath Weshford Wicklo and Dublin In which are comprehended 926. Parishes whereof 47. Towns of Note and 102. Castles well fortified and able to make good resistance against an Enemy The English being forced to fortifie themselves in their Plantations with strong holds and fortresses against the incursious of the Natives Mounster This Province is called in Irish Mawn in a more ordinary construction of Speech Wown in Latin Momonia and in English Mounster lyeth open Southward to the Virginean Sea Northward it fronteth part of Connaght The East is Neighboured by Leinster And the West is altogether washed with the Ocean Westward The Form Form thereof is quadrant or four-square and in length extended from Ballattimore Bay in her South unto the Bay of Galoway in her North is about 90. miles Her broadest part from East to West is from Waterford Haven to Feriter Haven and containeth an hundred miles The whole Circumference by following the Promontories and Inlets are above four hundred and forty miles The Aire Aire mild and temperate neither too chilling Cold not tâ—o schorching Hot. The Soil in some parts Hilly looking a loft with Wooddy Wild and Solitary Mountains Yet the Vallies below are garnished with Corn-fields And generally all both pleasant for Sight and fertile for Soil The general Commodities Commodities of this Province are Corn Cattel Wood Wool and Fish The last whereof it affords in every place plenty and abundance of all sorts But none so well known for the Store of Herrings that are taken there as is the Promontory called Eraugh that lies between Bautre and Ballatimore Bay Whereunto every year a great Fleet of Spaniards and Portugals resort even in the midst of Winter to Fish also for Cods Division It was in times past divided into many parts as Towoun that is North Mounster whereof Twomond al-Thomond or County of Clare was accounted part of it Deswoun that is South Mounster Hierwoun that is
great loss whether it turned to the benefit of the Queen or no is not known But to the Treasurers and Paymasters without doubt it brought in good gain whose avarice which is a diligent searcher of hidden gains may seem to have devised it The Money now generally used in Ireland there being little of English because prohibited to be transported thither beyond the summe of five pounds as I take it for the better encouragement of Trade between both Kingdoms is most of all Spanish Coyn to wit pieces of Eight at 4 s. 6 d. the piece consisting of Plate pieces Mexico and old Peru with half and quarter pieces The new Perues whereof there was a good quantity being not long since called in and by reason they were thought to be abused and falsified converted into Plate to the great benefit of some in Dublin and the no small loss at that time of a great many people in Ireland A piece of old English Gold is hardly to be seen in Ireland except what is closely kept in private hands though there was a great proportion thereof before the late Wars which commonly passed from hand to hand in ordinary Payments There is a small quantity of Brass Coyn that is used there for the conveniency of change I have already hinted Buildings how that the Irish by reason of their Barbarous Laws and Customs did never build any Houses of Brick or Stone some few poor Religious Houses excepted before the Reign of King Henry the Second which seems as manifest as strange by the entertainment of the said King received at their chief City of Dublin Anno 1172. who was unavoidably necessitated for meer accommodation finding there no fit place for his reception to set up a long house made of smoothed Wattles after the manner of the Country wherein he pompously entertained the greâ—t Irish Lords and Princes at Christmas All their Forts Castles Stately Buildings and other Edifices were afterwards Erected by the English except as I said some of the Maritine Towns which were built by the Ostmanni or Easterlings who antiently came and Inhabited Ireland The Buildings of Ireland much improved by the last forty years Peace During the last forty years peace in Ireland there were many lovely Houses built through most part of that Kingdom by the English Nobility and Gentry with delicate improvements in Orchards Gardens and Inclosures correspondent thereunto There was also at the same time by way of imitation the like good indeavours of making handsome Improvements and Buildings by the better sort of Irish both in Towns and Country But the fair Dwellings of the English were so badly handled by the Irish in the heat of the War that scarce any part of them except the main Walls escaped from fireing upon which being generally made of Massy Stone the English have rebuilt and are building besides a great number upon new foundations many fair Structures But that which has been hitherto The Nasty Irish Cabbins a great blemish to Ireland and I doubt will ever hereafter be a blemish to the flourishing state of Ireland in point of Building is the great number of Nasty-Smoaky-Cabbins every where made up of Wattles without any Chimnies wherein the poorer sort of Irish do well which cannot be altogether ascribed to their meer poverty and antient custom but rather much more to the uncertainty of the tenure whereby they hold the same being Tenants only but from May to May that so they may more easily quit their Station and try their fortunes else where for an other year though many times to as little effect in case they find themselves over-much opprest by their Landlords Their Parish Churches were generally as meanly built in Ireland as their practice was in Religion but now that the Country comes to be inhabited by a more civil and better Principled people it may be justly hoped and likewise expected that there will be by degrees a Reformation in this particular as well as in other matters of less moment since the handsome building and adorning of Churches do conduce much to draw the rude people to the the reverencing and frequenting thereof CHAP. II. Of the Inhabitants their Laws Religion and Manners Of their Number Language Stature Dyet Attire Recreations Names and Sir-names I have already declared how it is most probable that the first Inhabitants of this Island came hither out of Britain Inhabitants and Laws now called England and Wales And therefore shall proceed to give some farther Account touching the Laws of this Realm both Ancient and Modern The Brehon Law by which the Irish governed themselves was a Rule of Right unwritten but delivered by Tradition from one to another in which often times there appeared great shew of Equity in determining the Right between party and party but in many things repugning quite both to Gods Law and Mans The partiality and impiety of the Brehon Irish Law As for example in the case of Murder the Brehon that is their Judge would compound between the Murderer and the Friends of the party Murdered which Prosecuted the Action that the Malefactor should give unto them or to the Child or Wife of him that is slain a recompence which they called an Eriach By which vile Law of theirs many Murders amongst them were made up and smothered And this Judge being as he was called the Lords Brehon adjudged for the most part a better share unto this Lord that is the Lord of the Soil or the head of that Sept and also unto himself for his judgment a greater portion then unto the Plaintiffs or parties grieved Sir Edward Poynings the best Reformer of the Laws of Ireland He that gave the fairest beginning to the Reformation of the Laws of Ireland of any till his time was Sir Edward Poynings Lord Deputy of Ireland in the Reign of King Henry the Seventh who finding in that Realm nothing but a common misery took the best course he possibly could to establish there a well governed Common-wealth and to that end he held a Parliament no less famous than that of Kilkenny and more available for the Reformation of the whole Kingdom For whereas all wise men did ever concur in opinion that the readiest way to Reform Ireland was to settle a form of Civil Government there conformable to that of England To bring this to pass Sir Edward Poynings did pass an Act whereby all the Statutes made in England before that time were enacted established and made of force in Ireland Neither did he only respect the time past but provided also for the time to come For he caused an other Law to be made that no Act should be propounded in any Parliament of Ireland but such as should be first Transmitted into England and approved by the King and Council there as good and expedient for that Land and so returned back again under the Great Seal of England This Act though it seem Prima facie to restrain
were no such sufficient English Ministers sent over as might be presented to any Bishop for any Living but the most part of such English as came over thither of themselves were either unlearned or men of some bad note for which they had forsaken England So as the Bishop to whom they should have been presented might justly reject them as incapable and insufficient Secondly the Bishop himself being perhaps an Irish man who being made Judge by that Law of the sufficiency of the Ministers might at his own Will dislike of the English man as unworthy in his Opinion and admit of any Irish whom he should think more for his turn And if he should at the Instance of any English man of countenance there whom he would not displease accept of any such English Minister as should be tendered unto him yet he would under-hand carry such a hard hand over him or by his Officers wring him so sore that he would soon make him weary of his poor Living Lastly the Benefices themselves were so mean and of so small profit in those Irish Countreys through the ill husbandry of the Irish people which did inhabit them that they would not yeild any competent maintenance for any honest Minister to live upon scarcely to buy him a Gown And had all this been redressed yet what good should any English Minister have done amongst them by teaching or preaching unto them which either could not understand him or would not hear him Or what comfort of life could he have where his Parishoners were so insatiable so intractable so ill affected to him as they usually are to all the English Or finally how durst almost any honest Ministers that were peaceable civil men commit their safety to the hands of such Neighbours as the boldest Captains durst scarce dwell by The Church of Ireland much Reformed of late But these Obstructions by the special Providence of God appearing in the late Revolutions of Ireland seems upon the matter to be wholly taken away for first there are now in Ireland together with other Divines that commonly repair thither out of England and Scotland a sufficient number of able Ministers bred up in Trinity Colledge at Dublin to supply the above mentioned first Defect Secondly all the Bishops of Ireland are now worthy learned Protestants who with all the endeavours they can do incourage Protestant Ministers to settle themselves in such convenient places as they may do God and that Countrey good service and themselves have thereby a comfortable subsistance Besides the English Magistracy and Gentry being now so generally dispersed through all parts of Ireland do give great countenance to the Protestant Ministry to proceed cheerfully and industriously in their Vocations Lastly the Benefices themselves are now by the industry and good husbandry of the British Planters together with the uniting of two or three Parishes into one to supply the imperfect Plantation thereof become so considerable and will much more hereafter when fully Planted as to be able to yeild a competent maintenance for honest learned Ministers to live upon and which is a farther encouragement to them have already very considerable Congregations of Protestant-Plantres through most parts of the Kingdom to attend upon Divine Service every Sabbath-day The Revenues of the Church oâ— Ireland have much encreased of late in this manner The Revenues of the Church of Ireland much increased of late and the manner how First it was observed that the Clergy of this Countrey were formerly little beholding to their Lay-Patrons some of their Bishops being so poor that they had no other Revenues than the Pasture of two Milch Beasts And so far had the Monasteries and Religious Houses invadeâ— by Appropriations the Churcheâ— Rites that of late times in the wholâ— Province of Connaght the whole stipend of the Incumbent was not above forty shillings in some placeâ— not above sixteen So that the pocâ— Irish must needs be better fed thaâ— taught For ad tenuitatem Benefici orum necessario sequitur ignorantia Sacerdotum Poor Benefices will be fitted with ignorant Priests said Panormitan rightly But this was remedied in part by his Sacred Majesty King Charles the Second Monarch of Great Britain who liberally aâ— the Suit of the late Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury restored unto this Chuch all the Impropriations and portions of Tithes which had been vested in the Crown An Action of most singular Piety and Princely Bounty Secondly King James out of the forfeited Lands of the six Counties in Vlster allowed fair proportions of Land as Gleabable to those Parishes within the said forfeited Counties which has caused them for so much to be counted better Livings for Ministers than in any other part of that Kingdom Thirdly That by the care the Earl of Strafford had while he was Lord Deputy of Ireland to increase the Revenues of that Church he recovered by Law Suits great quantities of Land in many parts of Ireland which the Church enjoys to this very day Fourthly and lastly That the whole Kingdom of Ireland may be justly thought to be so far improved during the last forty years peace by the industry of the British Planters and by the Irish also in imitation of the same as that all the Lands thereof and consequently the Tythes in proportion came to be worth in yearly value four or five times more than it ever amounted unto in any former Age And therefore we need not much marvel how that this last Rebellion Anno 1641. became more bloudy and universal than any of the former the Popish Irish Clergy and Lawers well understanding that the Sovereign Command of Ireland was now worth the contending for Bishopricks of Ireland Reckoned in Ireland at and since the Reformation four Arch-bishops nineteen Bishops and one University viz. Dublin Manners The Irish have long since had the Character of being Religious Frank Amorous Ireful Sufferable of pains infinite very glorious many Sorcerers excellent Horse-men delighted with Wars great Alms-givers passing in Hospitality The lewder sort both Clerks and Lay-men sensual and loose to Leachery above measure The same being virtuously bred up or Reformed are such mirrours of Holiness and Austerity that other Nations retain but a shew or shadow of Devotion in comparison of them As for Abstinence and Fasting which these days make so dangerous this is to them a familiar kind of Chastisement In which virtue and divers other how far the best excel so far in Gluttony and other hateful Crimes the Vitious they are worse than too bad They follow the dead Corps to the grave with hollowings and barbarous out-cryes pittiful in appearance whereof grew as I suppose the Proverb To weep Irish These people of late times The good agreement bewixt the Irish and the English in Ireland during the last forty years peace were so much civilized by their Cohabitation with the English as that the antient Animosities and Hatred which the Irish had been ever observed to
several factions the Popish Irish party of the supream Counsel against the Popes Nuntio and his party afterwards some English and Irish for and others against my Lord of Ormonds Peace and at last some of the Protestant party and of the Irish for the King and some others of both parties for the Rump-Parliament but all in a confusion till the year 1649. The English find an opportunity to be throughly revenged en the Irish Anno 1649. c. At what time a considerable Army of English being transported into Ireland where after two Disputes the one at Dublin and the other at Tredagh the Royal party there finding no probability of effecting any thing advantageous to his Majesties Service joyning their forces with those newly landed out of England so bore down the Irish that in less space than three years there was scarce an Irish man through all Ireland that durst hold up his hand against them and by a necessary severity put in practice for the soon finishing of the War the whole Kingdome became upon a sudden so depopulated that considering what vast numbers of people were destroyed by the Sword Famine and Plague it is thought that in the conclusion of the said War there was not left living the eighth part of all the Irish Nation a just judgment of God inflicted on them for their notorious Barbarisme committed in their massacring the English The Irishry being thus broken the Irish Proprietors of Lands within the Provinces of Munster Leinster The Irish being broken are Transplanted into the Provinces of Connaght and County of Clare and Vlster were commanded by Proclamation by a certain day upon pain of Death to Transplant themselves into the Province of Connaght and County of Clare there to receive their proportions of Land according to their Qualifications the which very speedily and submissively they performed accordingly This Province of Connaght and County of Clare for their Natural and Artificial strength are worth the noting being altogether environed on the West and South-west part thereof by the vast Ocean and almost encompassed on the East and North-East part thereof in the whole length from North to South for the space of one hundred and forty miles or thereabouts with the great for the most part impassable River Shannon except by Boat or Bridge And on all sides and parts of the said Province of Connaght and County of Clare so beset with mighty strong Garrisons as namely Limrick Galloway Athlone James-Town the Forts of Slego and Belick in the County of Mayo with many other Garrisons of lesser moment and yet of no small strength that should the Irish at any time appear to stir in the least to oppose the Ruling power it were no less then wilfully to expose themselves to immediate slaughter and the mercy of the Sword This service being thus perform'd together with the turning out about the same time by degrees all the Popish Irish Proprietors out of all the strong Towns and Cities in Ireland Some part of the English Army disbanded after the Irish Transplantation and bringing in Protestant Planters as fast as they could to succed them in their habitations soon after followed the disbanding of certain Regiments of the Army who received their respective proportions of Land for their Arrears in the Provinces of Lynster Munster and Vlster according to their Lots upon every Acre whereof was imposed a certain Chiefry or Quit-Rent to be yearly paid after the expiration of five years towards the defraying of the Publick charge of the Kingdome The same method was soon after observed in satisfying the Arrears of the rest of the Army And about the same time the Commissioners sate at Athlone for determining the Qualifications of the Irish who having there received their doom immediately posted to Lougreah to get their respective proportions of Land to be assigned to them either in Connaght or the County of Clare according to the tenor of their said determined Qualifications from Commissioners siting at Lougreah for that purpose upon every Acre whereof a Quit-Rent was also imposed to be paid yearly after the expiration of five years as aforesaid towards the Publick charge All these things being effected The English and Irish setled upon their respective proportions of Lands within the compass of three years Whereupon followed a strange alteration in the general Face and State of Ireland and brought to this pass within the compass of three years or thereabouts this settlement having been first begun Anno 1653. there appeared within three or four years following such a strange alteration in the general Face and State of Ireland as might justly work much admiration in any sober man who having travelled over a considerable part of this Realm in the years 1652 and 1653. should on one side but consider what a dreadful wast Country he had beheld where for ten sometimes twenty or thirty Miles together nay indeed almost all the Kingdom over except about the English Garrisons one should not behold The lamentable condition all Ireland was reduced unto in the close of the War An. 1652 1653. Man Bird or Beast appear the very wild Fowls of the Aire and the wild Beasts of the Field being either dead or having departed out of those Desolations and thousands of Irish daily starving for want of Food did in this extremity ordinarily feed on the Souldiers Horses for which no satisfaction was in any times received but with the loss of their lives Nay the Famin grew generally at last to that height that the Irish did not only feed upon Horses but upon dead Corps taken out of the Graves the English Army and all those that followed them being in the mean time necessitated to be upon the matter wholy supplyed out of England with all manner of Provisions as well as Pay I say these things being seriously considered could not choose but pierce a heart of Stone with grief and sorrow Ireland reviving again from its ruinous coâ—dition But on the other side what true hearted English man or indeed any Christian but would have rejoyced to see a considerable number of all sorts of people repairing securely from all parts of the Country four times in the year to receive Justice in the four Courts of Judicature at Dublin according to the nature of their Complaints To see the Judges twice a year ride through all the Circuits in Ireland bravely attended and entertained by the Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and many other persons of good quality being all English accompanied also with many Irish both Gentry and Commons To see moreover both English and Irish together with the additional number of many thousands of English Welch and Scots with some Dutch that yearly Transported themselves hither to Plant diligently applying themselves all over Ireland to Tillage and breeding of of all sorts of Cattle with a competent proportion whereof the whole Country became in a few years indifferently well Planted
though not with a sufficient numbeâ— of people to inhabit the same which are still wanting and will be so yet for many years to come repairing as fast as they could ruined Houses and Towns and building of new ones forwarding Merchandize and Commerce and carefully promoting all other ways and means that tended to the repair of a ruined Common-wealth The Irish rejoycing though they had got but small Estates in lieu of great ones after so terrible a storm But most of the English rejoycing much more as having got far better Estates then ever they expected to inherit from their Ancestors The joy of the English in Ireland crowned by the happy restauration of his Majesty and the Irish dejected thereby But that which crowned the joy of all the English hearts in Ireland and as much dejected the Transplanted Irish who now expected no less then to be generally restored to their former Estates was the happy Restauration of his Majesty into England wherein Ireland received no other change or alteration but the Soldiers parting withal or purchasing one third of all the Lands assigned them for their Arrears which was cast into a common stock to satisfie Reprisals that so they might get the rest confirm'd to them by his Majestie And the deposing of all the Cities and Corporate Towns of Ireland with the four Counties formerly reserved for the Publick to the 49 men many whereof notwithstanding they had performed excellent service in the late Wars of Ireland yet received no satisfaction till of late for their Arrears being formerly neglected therein by reason of their noted loyalty to his Majesty And the restoring of some Noble men and others of the Irish Nation to their former Estates either by passing their Tryals at the Court of Claims at Dublin or by meriting the same by their good services to his Majesty Now that I may draw to an end of this Discourse and endeavour to prove what I formerly proposed That that Eternal Peace of Ireland That perpetual Peace is now established in Ireland by the late settlement thereof being the conclusion of this discourse which was so solidly discoursed of and stoutly fought for in Queen Elizabeths time And very far proceeded in by King James But is absolutely perfected as I said according to all humane appearance by the last settlement of Ireland confirmed by his gracious Majesty King Charles the Second I desire the Reader to take these things into his consideration As first to observe The good consequences by the late settlement of Ireland By dividing the great Irish Lords and Gentry from their numerous Train of Adherents and Tenants that by the Transplantation of the Irish Proprietors into the Province of Connaght and County of Clare those Irish so Transplanted were not onely provided of a livelihood to support them settled in such a place of security as that they are wholly dis-enabled thereby to work any prejudice to the English Government And separated for the most part from their numerous train of Tenants and Adherents who willingly staid behind them becoming Tenants to the no small Advantage of the English but to the great disadvantage of the Irish Lords and Great ones of that Nation who at all times chiefly relied upon these kind of people to promote their many Rebellions in Ireland all which matters though of very great importance were notwithstanding wholly neglected or omitted by the English in all their former Settlements of this Realm But also by this Transplantation of the said Irish Proprietors the English being invested by way of Propriety and Tenancy in above three parts of four of all the Lands in Ireland there will hereafter be no need to fear as formerly the English being now the greater Number in all their Publick Assemblies and Parliaments that there shall be any farther obstruction given by the Popish Irish party By increasing the Number of Protestant Justices of Peace and Parliament men c in Ireland either to the making of good Laws or putting the same in execution or to the imposing of Money towards the payment of the Army or any other publick charges Or that the English shall henceforth fear to be any way degenerated by reason of their marrying and fostering with the Irish having there people enough of their own Nation and Religion upon the place as well to supply their continual wants therein as also by those their dispersed and growing Numerous habitations in most parts of the Kingdome will prove a singular good means to civilize the Irish from their wonted Barbarism Secondly That by having now which was otherwise formerly all the strong Towns and Cities of Ireland By the English having the possession by way of habitation of all the strong Towns and Cities of Ireland for the most part inhabited by Protestants and being withall better fortified as not only environed with strong Walls about them but also mightily strengthened by well fortified Cittadels within them to present surprisals and bravely man'd with Men Arms and Amunition to defend them the whole Kingdome is thereby become better secured from future Rebellions and consequently the Brittish Planters from having any more their throats cut by the Irish It being observed formerly that there was nothing did more stay and strengthen this realm then the well fortified Corporate Towns as by proof hath manifestly appeared in many Rebellions till the last in which when all the Countries have swerved the Towns have stood fast and yielded good relief to the English Soldiers in all occasions of service The want of which supply by the Revolt of most of the Corporate Towns of this Kingdom Anno 1641 First occasioned the inhumane slaughter of the greatest part of the Brittish Planters there who in their extremity sought the protection of those Towns but could not obtain it Secondly the continuance of the War so long And last of all the universal desolation of the Country and almost a total extirpation of the whole Irish Nation out of Ireland Thirdly and lastly And by increasing of his Majesties Revenue in Ireland beyond all former examples that by the late increase of his Majesties standing Revenue in Ireland beyond all former Examples As namely by the Imposition of Quit-Rents upon all the Lands of the Adventurers Soldiers and Transplanted Irish Hearth Money Excise c. which wil be much more encreased beyond what it now is by the Industry of so great and universal a Brittish Plantation as will inhabite this Country when fully Planted It may therefore be very well hoped that Ireland will in a short time become so well improved thereby as to be sufficiently able not onely to maintain a good standing Army upon the account of its own proper Revenues to make the Irish desist from doing themselves and the English harm the want whereof proved the ruine of all former Settlements there since the first Conquest of it by the Engglish and discharge all other Publick Expences But will also