hat never knew the disposition of
the Irish; so as God forbid that those who have spent their blood in
the service should not of all others be preferred.' It was because
this idea of manuring, i.e. residence and cultivation, was carried
out in Ulster, that the plantation has proved so successful. But Davis
would allow but small space comparatively to the natives, whom he
compared to weeds which, if too numerous, would choke the wheat. With
him the old inhabitants were simply a nuisance from the highest to
the lowest; and if there were no other way of getting rid of them, he
would no doubt have adopted the plan recommended by Lord Bacon,
who said, 'Some of the chiefest of the Irish families should
be transported to England, and have recompense there for their
possessions in Ireland, till they were cleansed from their blood,
incontinency, and theft, which were not the lapses of particular
persons, but the very laws of the nation.' The Lord Deputy Chichester,
however, agreed thoroughly with his attorney-general, for he certainly
made no more account of rooting out the 'mere Irish' from their homes
than if they were the most noxious kinds of weeds or vermin. 'If,'
said he, writing to Lord Salisbury, 'I have observed anything during
my stay in this kingdom, I may say it is not _lenity_ and good works
that will reclaim the Irish, but _an iron rod_, and severity of
justice, for the restraint and punishment of those firebrands of
sedition, _the priests_; nor can we think of any other remedy but to
proclaim _them, and their relievers and harbourers, traitors_.'

Considering that those Englishmen were professedly Christian rulers,
engaged in establishing the reformed religion, the accounts which they
give with perfect coolness of their operations in this line, are among
the most appalling passages to be met with in the world's history. For
instance, the lord deputy writes: 'I have often said and written, it
is _famine that must consume the Irish_, as our _swords_ and other
endeavours worked not that, speedy effect which is expected; _hunger_
would be a better, because a speedier, weapon to employ against them
than the sword.' He spared no means of destruction, but combined all
the most fearful scourges for the purpose of putting out of existence
the race of people whom God in his anger subjected to his power.
Surely the spirit of cruelty, the genius of destruction, must have
been incarnate in the man who wrote thus: 'I burned all