"Why sighst? faire Boy!" (sayd she) "dost thou repent thee

Thy narrow wish in such straight bonds to stay?" "Well may I sigh" (sayd he)" and well lament me, That never such a debt may hope to pay." "A kisse," (sayd she) "a kisse will back repay." "Wilt thou" (reply'd the boy, too much delighted,) Content thee with such pay to be requited ?" She grants; and he his lips, heart, soule, to pay. inent cited.

Eudox. BUT if that countrey of Ireland, whence you lately came, be of so goodly and commodious a soyl, as you report, I wonder that no course is taken for the turning thereof to good uses, and reducing that nation to better government and civility.

Iren. Marry so there have bin divers good plottes devised, and wise councels cast already about reformation of that realme; but they say, it is the fatall destiny of that land, that no purposes whatsoever which are meant for her good, wil prosper or take good effect, which, whether it proceed from the very genius of the soyle, or influence of the starres, or that Almighty God hath not yet appointed the time of her reformation, or that hee reserveth her in this unquiet state still for some secret scourge, which shall by her come unto England, it is hard to be knowne, but yet much to be feared.

So

Eudox. Surely I suppose this but a vaine conceipt of simple men, which judge things by their effects, and not by their causes; for I would rather thinke the cause of this evill, which hangeth upon that countrey, to proceed rather of the unsoundnes of the councels, and plots, which you say have bin oftentimes laid for the reformation, or of faintnes in following and effecting the same, then of any such fatall course appointed of God, as you misdeem; but it is the manner of men; that when they are fallen into any absurdity, or their actions succeede not as they would, they are alwayes readie to impute the blame thereof unto the heavens, so to excuse their owne follies and imperfections. have I heard it often wished also, (even of some whose great wisedomes in opinion should seeme to judge more soundly of so weighty a consideration) that all that land were a sea-poole; which kinde of speech, is the manner rather of desperate men farre driven, to wish the utter ruine of that which they cannot redress, then of grave councellors, which ought to think nothing so hard, but that thorough wisedome, it may be mastered and subdued, since the Poet saith, that "the wise man shall rule even over the starres," much more over the earth; for were it not the part of a desperate phisitian to wish his diseased patient dead, rather then to apply the best indeavour of his skill for his recovery. But since we are so farre entred, let us, I pray you, a little devise of those evils, by which that country is held in this wretched case, that it cannot (as you say) be recured. And if it be not painefull to you, tell us what things, during your late continuance there, you observed to bee most offensive, and

greatest impeachment to the goou rule and government thereof.

Iren. Surely Eudox. The evils which you desire to be recounted are very many, and aimost countable with those which were hidden in the basket of Pandora. But since you please, I will out of that infinite rumber, reckon but some that are most capitall, and commonly occurrant both in the life and conditions of private men, as also in the managing of publicke affaires and pollicy, the which you shall understand to be of divers natures, as I observed them: for some of them are of verie great antiquitie and continuance; others more late and of lesse indurance; others dayly growing and increasing continuallie by their evill occasions, which are every day offered.

Eudox. Tell them then, I pray you, in the same order that you have now rehearsed them; for there can be no better method then this which the very matter it selfe offereth. And when you have reckoned all the evils, let us heare your opinion for the redressing of them: after which there will perhaps of it selfe appeare some reasonable way to settle a sound and perfect rule of government, by shunning the former evils, and following the offered good. The which method we may learne of the wise Phisitians, which first require that the malady be knowne throughly, and discovered: afterwards to teach how to cure and redresse it: and lastly doe prescribe a dyet, with straight rule and orders to be dayly observed, for feare of relapse into the former disease, or falling into some other more dangerous then it.

Iren. I will then according to your advisement begin to declare the evils, which seeme to me most hurtfull to the common-weale of that land; and first, those (I say) which were most auncient and long growne. And they also are of three sorts: The first in the Lawes, the second in Customes, and the last in Religion.

Eudox. Why, Irenæus, can there be any evill in the Lawes; can things, which are ordained for the good and safety of all, turne to the evill and hurt of them? This well I wote both in that state, and in all other, that were they not contained in duty with feare of law, which restraineth offences, and inflicteth sharpe punishment to misdoers, no man should enjoy any thing; every mans hand would be against another. Therefore, in finding fault with the lawes, I doubt me, you shail much over-shoote your selfe, and make me the more dislike your other dislikes of that government.

Iren. The lawes Eudox. I doe not blame for

themselves, knowing right well that all lawes are ordained for the good of the common-weale, and for repressing of licentiousness and vice; but it falleth out in lawes, no otherwise then it doth in physick, which was at first devised, and is yet daylie ment, and ministred for the health of the patient. But neverthelesse we often see, that either thorough ignorance of the disease, or thorough unseasonablenesse of the time, or other accidents comming betweene, in stead of good, it worketh hurt, and, out of one evill, throweth the patient into many miseries. So the lawes were at first intended for the reformation of abuses, and peaceable continuance of the subiect; but are sithence either disanulled, or quite prevaricated thorough change and alteration of times, yet are they good still in themselves; but, in that commonwealth which is ruled by them, they worke not that good which they should, and sometimes also that evill which they would not.

Eudox. Whether doe you mean this by the common-lawes of that realme, or by the Statute Lawes, and Acts of Parliaments?

Iren. Surely by them both; for even the common law being that which William of Normandy brought in with his conquest, and laid upon the neck of England, though perhaps it fitted well with the state of England then being, and was readily obeyed thorough the power of the commander, which had before subdued the people unto him, and made easie way to the setling of his will, yet with the state of Ireland peradventure it doth not so well agree, being a people very stubborne, and untamed, or if it were ever tamed, yet now lately having quite shooken off their yoake, and broken the bonds of their obedience. For England (before the entrance of the Conqueror) was a peaceable kingdome, and but lately inured to the milde and goodly government of Edward, surnamed the Confessor; besides now lately growne into a loathing and detestation of the unjust and tyrannous rule of Harold an usurper, which made them the more willing to accept of any reasonable conditions and order of the new victor, thinking surely that it could be no worse then the latter, and hoping well it would be as good as the former; yet what the proofe of first bringing in and establishing of those lawes was, was to many full bitterly made knowne. But with Ireland it is farre otherwise; for it is a nation ever acquainted with warres, though but amongst themselves, and in their owne kinde of military discipline, trayned up ever from their youthes, which they have never yet beene taught to lay aside, nor made to learne obedience unto lawes, scarcely to know the name of law, but in stead thereof have alwayes preserved and kept their owne law, which is the Brehon law.

Eudox. What is that which you call the Brehon law it is a word unto us altogether unknowne.

Iren. It is a rule of right unwritten, but delivered by tradition from one to another, in which oftentimes there appeareth great shew of equity, in determining the right betweene party and party, but in many things repugning quite both to Gods law, and mans: As for example in the case of Murder, the Brehon, that is their judge, will compound betweene the murderer, and the friends of the party murdered, which prosecute the action, that the malefactor shall give unto them, or to the child, or wife of him that is slain a reconpence, which they

call an Eriach: By which vilde law of theirs, many murders amongst them are made up, and smothered. And this judge being as hee is called the Lords Brehon, adjudgeth for the most part, a better share unto his Lord, that is the Lord of the soyle, or ⚫ the head of that sept, and also unto himselfe for his judgement a greater portion, then unto the plaintiffes or parties greived.

Eudox. This is a most wicked law indeed: but I trust it is not now used in Ireland, since the kings of England have had the absolute dominion thereof, and established their owne lawes there.

Iren. Yes truly; for there be many wide countries in Ireland, which the lawes of England were never established in, nor any acknowledgment of subjection made, and also even in those which are subdued, and seeme to acknowledge subjection; yet the same Brehon law is practised among themselves, by reason, that, dwelling as they doe, whole nations and septs of the Irish together, without any Englishman amongst them, they may doe what they list, and compound or altogether conceale amongst themselves their owne crimes, of which no notice can be had, by them which would and might amend the same, by the rule of the lawes of England.

Eudox. What is this which you say? And is there any part of that realme, or any nation therein, which have not yet beene subdued to the crowne of England? Did not the whole realme universally accept and acknowledge our late Prince of famous memory Henry the viiith for their onely King and Liege Lord?

Iren. Yes verily in a Parliament holden in the time of Sir Anthony Saint-Leger, then Lord Deputy, all the Irish Lords and principall men came in, and being by faire meanes wrought thereunto, acknowledged King Henry for their Soveraigne Lord, reserving yet (as some say) unto themselves all their owne former priviledges and seignories inviolate.

Eudox. Then by that acceptance of his soveraignty they also accepted of his lawes. Why then should any other lawes be now used amongst them!

Iren. True it is that thereby they bound themselves to his lawes and obedience, and in case it had beene followed upon them, as it should have beene, and a government thereupon setled among them agreeable thereunto, they should have beene reduced to perpetuall civilitie, and contained in continuall duty. But what bootes it to break a colte, and to let him straight runne loose at randome. So were these people at first well handled, and wisely brought to acknowledge allegiance to the Kings of England: but, being straight left unto themselves and their owne inordinate life and manners, they eftsoones forgot what before they were taught, and so soone as they were out of sight, by themselves shook off their bridles, and beganne to colte anew, more licentiously then before.

Eudox. It is a great pittie, that so good an opportunity was omitted, and + so happie an occasion fore-slacked, that might have beene the eternall good of the land. But doe they not still acknowledge that submission?

Iren. No, they doe not for now the heires and posterity of them which yeelded the same, are (as

*the head of that sept,] Sept is family. TODD.

† so happy an occasion fore-slacked,] Delay. TODD.