such an attempt; and affected a zealous solicitude Strafford's for what they called the independence of their church. Usher, the head of this party, had never p. 381. been regarded by lord Wentworth with a favoura

Letter,

vol. 1.

ble eye; but, on account of his station, character, and popularity, was to be treated with respect and caution. It was mortifying to the compiler of the Irish articles of religion in the late reign, to find them now threatened with a solemn abolition; and had the temper of this learned prelate disposed him to turbulence and opposition, he might have proved highly vexatious and embarrassing to the deputy, supported as he was by the judgments and affections of almost all the Irish clergy. To reconcile him to the projected reformation, it was agreed, that no censure should be passed on any of the former Irish articles, but that they should be virtually, not formally abrogated, by the establishment of those of the church of England; and also, that the English canons should not be received, in a body, but a collection made of such as might be most acceptable, to form a rule of discipline for the Irish church. The articles were received, and the canons established Ib. p. 342.agreeably to the lord deputy's mind; yet more by the influence of his authority, than the inclinations of a great part of the clergy; although but one member of the convocation ventured publicly to avow his dissent.

THESE regulations in the ecclesiastical system were followed by an establishment too odious, and therefore too dangerous, to be attempted during the sessions of parliament, that of an high-commission court, which was erected in Dublin after the English model, with the same formality, and the same tremendous powers. The intentions of this establishIb p. 188.ment, (as the deputy explains them to Laud) were to countenance the despised state of the clergy to support the ecclesiastical courts, and restrain the extortion of their officers, to annul foreign jurisdiction, to punish polygamies and adulteries, to provide for the main

tenance

tenance and residence of the clergy, to inquire into the application of charitable and pious donations, to bring the people to a conformity of religion, and, "in the way to all these, raise perhaps a good revenue to the crown."

THE favorite object, indeed, of this chief go- Carte, vernor, which he ever kept in view, through all his Straf. Let transactions, was this of improving the revenue, and vol. I. supplying the necessities of his royal master.

And

when for this purpose we find him protecting and extending commerce, guarding the coasts from piracy, introducing manufactures, and encouraging a spirit of well directed industry, we must acknowledge, that such means were liberal and laudable. A subject of Ireland should with gratitude record, that one scheme happily and judiciously devised by lord Wentworth, laid the first foundation of the present affluence and prosperity of this country.

He found among the Irish little trade or manufactures, except some small beginnings of a cloathing trade, which promised to encrease, and might in time essentially affect the staple commodity of England. Ireland furnished wool in great quantities, and its people could afford to vend their cloth in foreign markets, on more moderate terms than the English traders. A governor, particularly jealous of any diminution of the king's customs, was alarmed at this prospect; he considered farther, that the Irish subjects, if restrained from indraping their ow wool, must of necessity fetch their cloathing from England; so as in some sort to be dependent on this country for their livelihood. Hence the connection of these realms must become firm and indissoluble, as the Irish could not revolt from their allegiance to the crown, without nakedness to themselves and their families. For these reasons he laid discouragements on their woollen manufacture; but at the same time determined to establish another article of trade, at least equally beneficial to this people, and which promised service, rather than detriment to England.

IT

A. D. 1635.

It was judged, that the soil of many parts of Ireland was well fitted to the raising of flax; some experiments made by order of the deputy confirmed it; the women were naturally addicted to spinning; the living, and consequently the labour of the Irish was cheap; could they be trained to the manufacture of linen-cloth, Wentworth, with the sanguine hopes of a projector, conceived that they might soon be enabled to under-sell the French and Hollanders; he therefore happily determined to establish this manufacture in Ireland. Infant schemes are ever attended with an expence, terrible to men of cautious and contracted minds. To encourage a spirit of enterprize, Wentworth himself embarked in his favorite project, even to an expence (as he stated it) of thirty thousand pounds. Flaxseed was imported from Holland; work-men were brought from France and the Low Countries. The seed prospered, the people were employed; looms fitted up, regulations prescribed for yarn and cloth, so as to secure the sale by the goodness of the commodity. Such were the beginnings of the linen trade of Ireland; which, though fatally interrupted by the subsequent disorders of this country, yet revived with all its happy consequences on the return of peace and tranquillity.

BUT such schemes of improvement, how promising soever, were yet gradual in their operation, and calculated rather for the advantage of future times, than for supplying the present necessities of the crown. Strafford's Wentworth was impatient to signalize his administraLetters, tion by a service of immediate and extensive emoluvol. 1. ment to his royal master. His project was nothing

less, than to subvert the title to every estate in every part of Connaught, and to establish a new Plantation through this whole province: a project, which, when first proposed, in the late reign, was received with horror and amazement, but which suited the undismayed and enterprising genius of lord Wenthworth. For this he had opposed the confirmation of the royal

graces,

graces, transmitted to lord Faulkland, and taken to himself the odium of so flagrant a violation of the royal promise. The parliament was at an end; and the deputy at leisure to execute a scheme, which, as it was offensive and alarming, required a cautious and deliberate procedure. Old records of state, and the memorials of ancient monasteries were ransacked, to ascertain the king's original title to Connaught. It was soon discovered, that in the grant of Henry the third, to Richard de Burgo, five cantreds were reserved to the crown, adjacent to the castle of Athlone; that this grant included the whole remainder of the province, which was now alleged to have been forfeited by Aedh O'Connor, the Irish provincial chieftain; that the lands and lordship of de Burgo, descended lineally to Edward the fourth; and were confirmed to the Crown by a statute of Henry the seventh. The ingenuity of court-lawyers was employed to invalidate all patents granted to the possessors of these lands, from the reign of queen Elizabeth. It was found, that the indentures made between Sir John Perrot, and the inhabitants of this province, were irregular, and unauthorized by his commission; and the queen's patents voided by the non-performance of conditions; that those, granted by James, were obtained on false suggestions, and executed without attention to the royal will and direction. In several patents, passed by commission of this king, there was reserved to the crown, without particular authority, a tenure by common knight's service: a kind of tenure particularly agreeable to the recusants, as it did not oblige them to do homage, or take the oath of supremacy. But the lawyers were now confident, that, as this was not particularly warranted by the commission, as the law ever implied a tenure in capite, where none in particular is expressed, and as a tenure by common knight's service, was less beneficial to the crown, the grants must be adjudged to have been made in deceit of the crown, which was hereby defrauded of its wards

and

and other profits, and, of consequence, void and illegal.

ARMED with these authorities, Wentworth, at the head of the commissioners of plantation, proceeded to the western province. The inhabitants of the county of Leitrim, had already acknowledged the king's title to their lands, and submitted to a Strafford's plantation. It was now deemed expedient to begin Let. vol. I, with those of Roscommon. The Commission was p. 142. opened in this county; the evidences of the king's title produced, examined, and submitted to a jury, formed of the principal inhabitants, purposely, (as the lord deputy expressed it) that "they might an"swer the king a round fine in the castle chamber, "in case they should prevaricate." They were told by Wentworth, that his majesty's intention in establishing his undoubted title, was to make them a rich and civil people; that he purposed not to deprive them of their just possessions, but to invest them with a considerable part of his own: that he needed not their interposition to vindicate his right, which might be established by the usual course of law, upon an information of intrusion; but that he wished his people to share with him in the honor and profit of the glorious and excellent work he was now to execute; to his majesty it was indifferent, whether their verdict should acknowledge or deny his title. If they were inclined to truth, and to their own interests, they were to find the title for the king; if to do that which was simply best for his majesty, without regard to their own good, the deputy advised them, roughly and pertinaciously to deny to find any title at all.

THE presence and interposition of a lord deputy, and a deputy whose character and temper were fitted to operate on men's passions, had probably their full effect on this occasion. The king's title was found without scruple or hesitation; and the verdict attended with a petition, for an equitable treatment of present proprietors, and a due provision

for