he was generously recommended to the Favour of the late Earl of Hallifax, who was then at the Head of the Treasury; and by that Means he obtain'd his Suit. This Man was fomewhat advanc'd in Years, and might be the fame mention'd before, who had poffibly recover'd only fome Part of the Eftate at first, or had been difturb'd in the Poffeffion of it. He could give no Account of the Works of his Anceftor, which are wanting, and which are therefore in all: Probability irrecoverably loft.

Go' AV IE W.

Eudox.

B

UT if that Countrey of Ireland, whence you lately came, be of fo goodly and commodious a Soil, as you report, I wonder that no Courfe is taken for the turning thereof to good uses, and reducing that Nation to better Government and Civility.

Iren. Marry fo there have been divers good Plots devised, and wife Counfels caft already about Reformation of that Realm; but they say, it is the fatal Destiny of that Land, that no purposes whatsoever which are meant for her good, will profper or take good effect: which, whether it proceed from the very Genius of the Soil, or Influence of the Stars, or that Almighty God hath not yet appointed the time of her ReforA

mation,

mation, or that he reserveth her in this unquiet State ftill, for fome fecret Scourge, which shall by her come unto England, it is hard to be known, but yet much to be feared.

Eudox. Surely I suppose this but a vain Conceit of fimple Men, which judge things by their Effects, and not by their caufes; for I would rather think the cause of this Evil, which hangeth upon that Countrey, to proceed rather of the Unfoundness of the Counfels and Plots which you fay have been oftentimes laid for the Reformation, or of Faintnefs in following and effecting the fame, than of any fuch fatal Course appointed of God, as you misdeem: but it is the manner of Men, that when they are fallen into any Abfurdity, or their Actions fucceed not as they would, they are always ready to impute the blame thereof unto the Heavens, fo to excufe their own Follies and Imperfections. So have I heard it often wifhed alfo (even of fome whose great Wisdoms in Opinion fhould seem to judge more foundly of fo weighty a Confideration) that all that Land were a Sea-pool: Which kind of Speech, is the manner rather of defperate Men far driven, to wish the utter Ruine of that which they cannot redrefs, than of grave Counsellors, which ought to think nothing fo hard, but that through Wisdom it may be mastered and fubdued; fince the Poet faith, that the Wife-man fhall rule even over the Stars, much more over the Earth for were it not the part of a desperate Phyfician,

Phyfician, to wifh his difeafed Patient dead, rather than to apply the best endeavour of his Skill for his recovery? But fince we are so far entred, let us, I pray you, a little devife of those Evils, by which that Countrey is held in this wretched Cafe, that it cannot (as you fay) be recured. And if it be not painful to you, tell us what things, during your late continuance there, you obferved to be moft offenfive, and greatest Impeachment to the good Rule and Government thereof.

Iren. Surely Eudox, the Evils which you defire to be recounted are very many, and almost countable with those which were hidden in the basket of Pandora. But fince you pleafe, I will out of that infinite number, reckon but fome that are most capital, and commonly occurrent both in the Life and Conditions of private Men; as alfo in the managing of publick Affairs and Policy, the which you fhall understand to be of divers Natures, as I obferved them: For fome of them are of very great Antiquity and Continuance; others more late and of lefs indurance; others daily growing and increafing continually by their evil Occafions, which are every day offered.

Eudox. Tell me then, I pray you, in the same Order that you have now rehearsed them; for there can be no better Method than this which the very matter itself offereth. And when you have

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have reckoned all the Evils, let us hear your Opinion for the redreffing of them: After which, there will perhaps of itself appear some reasonable way to fettle a found and perfect Rule of Government, by fhunning the former Evils, and following the offered Good. The which Method we may learn of the wife Physicians, which first require that the Malady be known throughly and discovered; afterwards to teach how to cure and redress it: And laftly do prescribe a Diet with straight Rule and Orders to be daily obferved, for fear of Relapfe into the former Difeafe, or falling into fome other more dangerous than it.

Iren. I will then according to your advisement begin to declare the Evils, which feem to me moft hurtful to the Common-weal of that Land; and first thofe (I fay) which were most antient and long grown; and they also are of three forts: The first in the Laws, the fecond in Cuftoms, and the laft in Religion.

Eudox. Why, Ireneus, can there be any Evil in the Laws? Can things which are ordained for the good and fafety of all, turn to the evil and hurt of them? This well I wote both in that State, and in all other, that were they not contained in Duty with fear of Law, which restraineth Offences, and inflicteth fharp Punishment to Mifdoers, no Man fhould enjoy any thing; every Man's Hand would be against another. Therefore