A chieftain possessed by the Brehon law, no property in the territory over which he ruled, except his patrimonial lands; he possessed the throne only as a life tenant; the succession did not necessarily descend to his son; on the contrary, his successor was generally elected by the sept during his life, and in some degree divided with him, the influence of government.

Whereas if he agreed to hold his petty empire by letters patent from the English government, immense advantage accrued to him.

All the duties and exactions customary by the Brehon law, were continued to him; and in addition, the lands of the whole sept (by a most extravagant stretch of injustice) were made absolutely his private property, and what was still more gratifying, he was released from the interference of an elected successor, and his ancient prerogative and his new possessions were strictly entailed on his eldest son.

dynasties, by supporting any one she could get to be a rival to the existing chieftains. Thus, she had her O'Neil, her O'Donnel, and her O'Reily, whom she made use of to sow divisions among the clans and divide their force.

From this statement, one might be surprised that every chieftain did not immediately submit to hold his territory by English tenure. But there were several causes to produce hesitation. Pride strongly combated interest; and as the objects of interests are, after all, of no value except as they contribute to the gratification of pride, it is no wonder that in many instances the end was preferred to the means; and that the princely descendants of a line of kings preferred an honourable dominion, conferred by the free choice of their subjects, to a more lucrative grant bestowed by an overbearing and foreign power. Besides, the design of the English government was, at all events, to acquire a nominal supremacy over the Irish chieftains; and this once established to overthrow, when the opportunity offered, those prerogatives which were suffered to remain. This could not entirely escape the jealousy of the chieftains, and made them cautious how they surrendered for any momentary advantage their ancient title to their sovereignty, which was too strong in prescription to be questioned.

Yet the snare had to a certain degree succeeded; and though few of the Irish chieftains had consented to hold their territories by English tenure, yet their suspicions were lulled, and their animosities were disarmed, till the designs of the English government became too glaring to be mistaken.

This event took place on Sir William Fitzwilliam being appointed Deputy, Ann. 1589. We are informed by Fines Morison, (a bitter enemy of the Irish) that " previous to Sir William's arrival, the kingdom was in the best state it had been a long time; any chieftain readily attended, when summoned by the Lord Deputy, none of them were discontented; the country was plentiful in corn, cattle, and all manner of victuals." This state of things was completely reversed by the outrages committed by the Lord Deputy against the Irish lords, M'Tuathel and O'Dogherty, and the Irish chieftain M'Mahown.

Sir William had received information, that part of the treasure on board the ships belonging to the Spanish armada, wrecked on the coast of Ireland, had fallen into the hands of the Irish in Munster.

He entered the country, but being disappointed of his booty, he seized on M'Tool and O'Dogherty, who, of all the Ulster lords, had been most faithful to the English, and put them into prison.

The first refusing to pay for his enlargement, continued prisoner till Sir William Russel's government, who in pity discharged him ; "but the old lord's heart was first broken, so that he shortly after died. The second was released, after two years imprisonment, not without paying for his liberty, as the Irish say."

“And at this hard usuage, all the great inen of the Irish, (especially in the northern parts,) did much repine."

But the murder of M'Mahon, prince of Monaghan, at length opened the eyes of the Irish chieftains to the designs of the English government, and shewed them that the sword afforded better security for their rights, than an English patent.

M'Mahon, chieftain of Monaghan, had surrendered his country to Elizabeth, and, as was the custom, received a re-grant of it to him and his heirs male, and in default of such issue, to his brother Hugh. He died

without issue, and Hugh took possession. The Lord Deputy Fitzwilliam proceeded to Monaghan, under pretence of giving M'Mahon security in his possession. But as soon as he arrived there, he raised an accusation against McMahon, for having two years before recovered some rent due to him by force of arms. This, by the law of the English pale, was treason; but M'Mahon had never stipulated to be subject to the English law; on the contrary, the patents by which their territories were re-granted to the Irish princes, either formally acknowledged the validity of the Irish Brehon law, or tolerated it by a silence equally expres

sive.

"The unhappy M'Mahon, for an offence committed before the law which declared it capital was established in his country, was tried, condemned by a jury formed of private soldiers, and executed in two days, to the horror and consternation of his subjects and the rest of the Irish chieftains.· His territory was distributed to Sir H. Bagnall and other English adventurers. Four only of the sept saved their property!”

This event was well calculated to decide