For the two former of these, I will pass them that business. For although your majesty have over; because in that project, which with good diligence and providence hath been presented to your majesty by your ministers of that kingdom, they are in my opinion well handled. a grave and sufficient council in Ireland; from whom, and upon whom, the commissioners are to have assistance and dependence; yet that supplies not the purpose whereof I speak. For, considering, that upon the advertisements, as well of the commissioners, as of the council of Ireland itself, there will be many occasions to crave directions from your majesty and your privy council here, which are busied with a world of affairs; it cannot but give greater expedition, and some better perfection unto such directions and resolutions, if the matters may be considered of aforehand by such as may have a continual care of the cause. And it will be likewise a comfort and satisfaction to some principal undertakers, if they may be admitted of that council. For the third, I will never despair, but that the parliament of England, if it may perceive, that this action is not a flash, but a solid and settled pursuit, will give aid to a work so religious, so politic, and so profitable. And the distribution of charge, if it be observed, falleth naturally into three kinds of charge, and every of those charges respectively ought to have his proper fountain and issue. For as there proceedeth from your majesty's royal bounty and munificence, the gift of the land, and the other materials; together with the endowment of liberties; and as the charge which is private, as building of houses, stocking Secondly, There is a clause wherein the underof grounds, victual, and the like, is to rest upon takers are restrained, that they shall execute the the particular undertakers: so whatsoever is pub-plantation in person; from which I must dissent, lic, as building of churches, walling of towns, if I will consent with the grounds I have already town-houses, bridges, causeways, or highways, taken. For it is not probable that men of great and the like, ought not so properly to lie upon means and plentiful estate will endure the travel, particular persons, but to come from the public diseasements, and adventures of going thither in estate of this kingdom; to which this work is person: but rather, I suppose, many will underlike to return so great an addition of glory, take portions as an advancement for their younger strength, and commodity. children or kinsfolks; or for the sweetness of the expectation of a great bargain in the end, when it is overcome. And, therefore, it is like they will employ sons, kinsfolks, servants, or tenants, and yet be glad to have the estate in themselves. And it may be, some again will join their purses together, and make as it were a partnership or joint adventure; and yet man forth some one person by consent, for the executing of the plantation. that For the project itself, I shall need to speak the less, in regard it is so considerately digested already for the county of Tyrone: and therefore my labour shall be but in those things wherein I shall either add to, or dissent from that which is set down; which will include five points or articles. First, they mention a commission for this plantation: which of all things is most necessary, both to direct, and appease controversies, and the like. To this I add two propositions: the one, which perhaps is meant, though not expressed, that the commissioners should for certain times reside and abide in some habitable town of Ireland, near in distance to the country where the plantation shall be; to the end, both that they may be more at hand, for the execution of the parts of their commission; and withal it is like, by drawing a concourse of people and tradesmen to such towns, it will be some help and commodity to the undertakers for things they shall stand in need of: and, likewise, it will be a more safe place of receipt and store, wherein to unlade and deposit such provisions as are after to be employed. The second is, that your majesty would make a correspondency between the commission there, and a council of plantation here: wherein I warrant myself by the precedent of the like council of plantation for Virginia; an enterprise in my opinion differing as much from this, as Amadis de Gaul differs from Cæsar's Commentaries. But when I speak of a council of plantation, I mean some persons chosen by way of reference, upon whom the labour may rest, to prepare and report things to the council of estate here, that concern Thirdly, There is a main point, wherein I fear the project made hath too much of the line and compass, and will not be so natural and easy to execute, nor yet so politic and convenient: and that is, that the buildings should be "sparsim" upon every portion; and the castle or principal house should draw the tenements and farms about it, as it were into villages, hamlets, or endships; and that there should be only four corporate towns for the artificers and tradesmen. My opinion is, that the buildings be altogether in towns, to be compounded as well of husbandries as of arts. My reasons are, First, When men come into a country vast, and void of all things necessary for the use of man's life, if they set up together in a place, one of them will the better supply the wants of another: work-folks of all sorts will be the more continually on work without loss of time; when, if work fail in one place, they may have it fast by; the ways will be made more passable for carriages to those seats or towns, than they can be to a number of dispersed solitary places; and infinite other helps and easements, scarcely to be comprehended in cogitation, will ensue in vicinity and society of Secondly, it will draw out of the inhabited country of Ireland provisions and victuals, and many necessaries; because they shall be sure of utterance: whereas, in the dispersed habitations, every man must reckon only upon that that he brings with him, as they do in provisions of ships. Thirdly, the charge of bawnes, as they call them, to be made about every castle or house, may be spared, when the habitations shall be congregated only into towns. people: whereas, if they build scattered, as is pro- | keep in his own hands, the more the work is like jected, every man must have a cornucopia in him- to prosper. For, first, the person liable to the self for all things he must use; which cannot but state here to perform the plantation, is the immebreed much difficulty and no less waste. diate undertaker. Secondly, the more his profit dependeth upon the annual and springing commodity, the more sweetness he will find in putting forward manurance and husbanding of the grounds, and therefore is like to take more care of it. Thirdly, since the natives are excluded, I do not see that any persons are like to be drawn over of that condition, as are like to give fines, and undertake the charge of building. For I am persuaded, that the people transported will consist of gentlemen and their servants, and of labourers and hinds, and not of yeomen of any wealth. And, therefore, the charge of buildings, as well of the tenements and farms, as of the capital houses themselves, is like to rest upon the principal undertakers. Which will be recompensed in the end to the full, and with much advantage, if they make no long estates or leases. And, therefore, this article to receive some qualification. And, lastly, it will be a means to secure the country against future perils, in case of any revolt and defection: for by a slight fortification of no great charge, the danger of any attempts of kierns and sword-men may be prevented; the omission of which point, in the last plantation of Munster, made the work of years to be but the spoil of days. And if any man think it will draw people too far off from the grounds they are to labour, it is to be understood, that the number of the towns be increased accordingly; and, likewise, the situation of them be as in the centre, in respect of the portions assigned to them; for in the champaign countries of England, where the habitation useth to be in towns, and not dispersed, it is no new thing to go two miles off to plough part of their grounds; and two miles compass will take up a good deal of country. The fourth point, is a point wherein I shall differ from the project rather in quantity and proportion, than in matter. There is allowed to the undertaker, within the five years of restraint, to alien a third part in fee farm, and to demise another third for forty years: which I fear will mangle the portions, and will be but a shift to make money of two parts; whereas, I am of opinion, the more the first undertaker is forced to Fifthly, I should think it requisite that men of experience in that kingdom should enter into some particular consideration of the charges and provisions of all kinds, that will be incident to the plantation; to the end, that thereupon some advice may be taken for the furnishing and accommodating them most conveniently, aiding private industry and charge with public care and order. Thus I have expressed to your majesty those simple and weak cogitations, which I have had in myself touching this cause, wherein I most humbly desire your pardon, and gracious acceptance of my good affection and intention. For I hold it for a rule, that there belongeth to great monarchs, from faithful servants, not only the tribute of duty, but the oblations of cheerfulness of heart. And so I pray the Almighty to bless this great action, with your majesty's care; and your care with happy success. A LETTER ΤΟ MR. SECRETARY CECIL, AFTER THE DEFEATING OF THE SPANISH FORCES IN IRELAND;* INCITING HIM TO EMBRACE THE CARE OF REDUCING THAT KINGDOM TO CIVILITY, WITH SOME REASONS SENT ENCLOSED. IT MAY PLEASE YOUR HONOUR, As one that wisheth you all increase of honour; and as one that cannot leave to love the state, what interest soever I have, or may come to have in it; and as one that now this dead vacation Therefore this was wrote in 1601-Rawley's Resusci tatio, 58. time hath some leisure "ad aliud agendum;" I will presume to propound unto you that which though you cannot but see, yet I know not whether you apprehend and esteem it in so high a degree; that is, for the best action of importation to yourself, of sound honour and merit to her majesty and this crown, without ventosity and popu larity, that the riches of any occasion, or the tide | my letter, I do think much letting blood, “in of any opportunity, can possibly minister or offer; declinatione morbi," is against method of cure: and that is the causes of Ireland, if they be taken by the right handle. For if the wound be not ripped up again, and come to a recrudency by new foreign succours, I think that no physician will go on much with letting of blood, "in declinatione morbi ;" but will intend to purge and corroborate. To which purpose I send you mine opinion, without labour of words, in the enclosed; and sure I am, that if you shall enter into the matter according to the vivacity of your own spirit, nothing can make unto you a more gainful return. For you shall make the queen's felicity complete, which now, as it is, is incomparable: and for yourself, you shall show yourself as good a patriot as you are thought a politic, and make the world perceive you have not less generous ends, than dexterous delivery of yourself towards your ends; and that you have as well true arts and grounds of government, as the facility of practice and negotiation; and that you are as well seen in the periods and tides of estates, as in your own circle and way: than the which, I suppose, nothing can be a better addition and accumulation of honour unto you. This, I hope, I may in privateness write, either as a kinsman, that may be bold: or as a scholar, that hath liberty of discourse, without committing any absurdity. But if it seemeth any error in me thus to intromit myself, I pray your honour to believe, I ever loved her majesty and the state, and now love yourself; and there is never any vehement love without some absurdity, as the Spaniard well says: "desuario con la calentura." So, desiring your honour's pardon, I ever continue. 4. Plantations and buildings. For the first; concerning the places and times, and particularities of farther prosecution, in fact, I leave it to the opinion of men of war; only the difficulty is, to distinguish and discern the propositions, which shall be according to the ends of the state here, that is, final and summary towards the extirpation of the troubles, from those, which, though they pretend public ends, yet may refer indeed to the more private and compendious ends of the council there: or of the particular governors or captains. But still, as I touched in Resuscitatio, 264. and that it will but induce necessity, and exasperate despair: and percase discover the hollowness of that which is done already, which now blazeth to the best show. For laglia's and proscriptions of two or three of the principal rebels, they are, no doubt, "jure gentium," lawful: in Italy usually practised upon the banditti; best in season when a side goeth down: and may do good in two kinds; the one, if they take effect: the other, in the distrust which may follow amongst the rebels themselves. But of all other points, to my understanding, the most effectual is, the well expressing or impressing the design of this state, upon that miserable and desolate kingdom; containing the same, between these two lists or boundaries; the one, that the queen seeketh not an extirpation of that people, but a reduction; and that, now she hath chastised them by her royal power and arms, according to the necessity of the occasion, her majesty taketh no pleasure in effusion of blood, or displanting of ancient generations. The other, that her majesty's princely care is principally and intentionally bent upon the action of Ireland; and that she seeketh not so much the ease of charge, as the royal performance of the office of protection, and reclaim of those her subjects: and, in a word, that the case is altered so far as may stand with the honour of the time past: which it is easy to reconcile, as in my last note I showed. And, again, I do repeat, that if her majesty's design be "ex professo❞ to reduce wild and barbarous people to civility and justice, as well as to reduce rebels to obedience, it makes weakness turn Christianity, and conditions graces; and so hath a fineness in turning utility upon point of honour, which is agreeable to the humour of these times. And, besides, if her majesty shall suddenly abate the lists of her forces, and shall do nothing to countervail it in point of reputation, of a politic proceeding, I doubt things may too soon fall back into the state they were in. Next to this; adding reputation to the cause, by imprinting an opinion of her majesty's care and intention upon this action, is the taking away of reputation from the contrary side, by cutting off the opinion and expectation of foreign succours; to which purpose this enterprise of Algiers, if it hold according to the advertisement, and if it be not wrapped up in the period of this summer, seemeth to be an opportunity "cœlitus demissa." And to the same purpose nothing can be more fit than a treaty or a shadow of a treaty of a peace with Spain, which methinks should be in our power to fasten at least rumore tenus," to the deluding of as wise people as the Irish. Lastly, for this point; that which the ancients called "potestas facta redeundi ad sanitatem;" and which is but a mockery when the enemy is strong, or proud, but effectual in his declination; that is, a liberal proclama- | And the hesitation in this point, I think, hath been tion of grace and pardon to such as shall sub- a great casting back of the affairs there. Neither mit, and come in within a time prefixed, and of some farther reward, to such as shall bring others in; that one's sword may be sharpened by another's, is a matter of good experience, and now, I think, will come in time. And percase, though I wish the exclusions of such a pardon exceeding few, yet it will not be safe to continue some of them in their strength, but to translate them and their generations into England: and give them recompense and satisfaction here for their possessions there, as the King of Spain did, by divers families of Portugal. To the effecting of all the points aforesaid, and likewise those which fall within the divisions following, nothing can be in priority, either time or matter, better than the sending of some commission of countenance, "ad res inspiciendas et componendas;" for it will be a very significant demonstration of her majesty's care of that kingdom; a credence to any that shall come in and submit; a bridle to any that shall have their fortunes there, and shall apply their propositions to private ends; and an evidence that her majesty, after arms laid down, speedily pursueth a politic course, without neglect or respiration: and it hath been the wisdom of the best examples of government. Towards the recovery of the hearts of the people, there be but three things, "in natura rerum.' 1. Religion. 2. Justice and protection. 3. Obligation and reward. if any English papist or recusant shall, for liberty of his conscience, transfer his person, family, and fortunes thither; do I hold it a matter of danger, but expedient to draw on undertaking, and to further population. Neither if Rome will cozen itself, by conceiving it may be in some degree to the like toleration in England, do I hold it a matter of any moment; but rather a good mean to take off the fierceness and eagerness of the humour of Rome, and to stay further excommunications or interdictions for Ireland. But there would go hand in hand with this, some course of advancing religion indeed, where the people is capable thereof; as the sending over some good preachers, especially of that sort which are vehement and zealous persuaders, and not scholastical, to be resident in principal towns; endowing them with some stipends out of her majesty's revenues, as her majesty hath most religiously and graciously done in Lancashire : and the recontinuing and replenishing the college begun at Dublin, the placing of good men to be bishops in the sees there, and the taking care of the versions of Bibles and catechisms, and other books of instruction, into the Irish language; and the like religious courses, both for the honour of God, and for the avoiding of scandal and insatisfaction here, by the show of a toleration of religion in some parts there. For justice; the barbarism and desolation of the country considered, it is not possible they For religion, to speak first of piety, and then should find any sweetness at all of justice: if it of policy, all divines do agree, that if consciences should be, which hath been the error of times past, be to be enforced at all, wherein yet they differ, formal, and fetched far off from the state; because two things must precede their enforcement: the it will require running up and down from process; one, means of instruction; the other, time of and give occasion for polling and exactions by operation; neither of which they have yet had. fees, and many other delays and charges. And Besides, till they be more like reasonable men therefore there must be an interim in which the than they yet are, their society were rather justice must be only summary: the rather, because scandalous to the true religion, than otherwise; it is fit and safe for a time the country do as pearls cast before swine: for till they be participate of martial government; and, therefore, cleansed from their blood, incontinency, and I could wish in every principal town or place theft, which are now not the lapses of particular of habitation, there were a captain or governpersons, but the very laws of the nation, they are or; and a judge, such as recorders, and learned incompatible with religion reformed. For policy, stewards are here in corporations, who may have there is no doubt but to wrestle with them now, is a prerogative commission to hear and determine directly opposite to their reclaiming, and cannot "secundum sanam discretionem ;" and as near as but continue their alienation of mind from this may be to the laws and customs of England; government. Besides, one of the principal | and that by bill or plaint, without original writ; pretences, whereby the heads of the rebellion reserving from their sentence matter of freehold have prevailed both with the people, and with the foreigner, hath been the defence of the Catholic religion and it is this that likewise hath made the foreigner reciprocally more plausible with the rebel. Therefore a toleration of religion, for a time, not definite, except it be in some principal towns and precincts, after the manner of some French For obligation and reward; it is true, no doubt, edicts, seemeth to me to be a matter warrantable which was anciently said, that a state is contained by religion, and in policy of absolute necessity. in two words, "præmium" and "pena;" and I and inheritance, to be determined by a superior judge itinerant; and both sentences, as well of the bailiwick judge, as itinerant, to be reversed, if cause be, before the council of the province to be established there with fit instruc tions. am persuaded, if a penny in the pound which hath | surely, in mine opinion, either by agreeing with been spent in "pœna," ," for this kind of war is them; or by overruling them with a parliament but "pœna," a chastisement of rebels, without fruit or emolument to this state, had been spent in "præmio," that is, in rewarding, things had never grown to this extremity. But to speak forwards. The keeping of the principal Irish persons in terms of contentment, and without cause of particular complaint; and generally the carrying of an even course between the English and Irish; whether it be in competition or whether it be in controversy, as if they were one nation, without that same partial course which hath been held by the governors and counsellors there, that some have favoured the Irish, and some contrary, is one of the best medicines of that state. And as for other points of contentment, as the countenancing of their nobility as well in this court as there; the imparting of knighthood; the care of education of their children, and the like points of comfort and allurement; they are things which fall into every man's consideration. For the extripating of the seeds of troubles, I suppose the main roots are but three. The first, the ambition and absoluteness of the chief of the families and septs. The second, the licentious idleness of their kernes and soldiers, that lie upon the country, by cesses and such like oppressions. And the third, the barbarous laws, customs, their brehon laws, habits of apparel, their poets or heralds that enchant them in savage manners, and sundry other such dregs of barbarism and rebellion, which by a number of politic statutes of Ireland, meet to be put in execution, are already forbidden; unto which such additions may be made as the present time requireth. But the deducing of this branch requireth a more particular notice of the state and manners there, than falls within my compass. in Ireland, which in this course of a politic proceeding, infinite occasions will require speedily to be held, it will be fit to supply fit qualified persons or undertakers. The other, that it be not left, as heretofore, to the pleasure of the undertakers and adventurers, where and how to build and plant; but that they do it according to a prescript or formulary. For, first, the places, both maritime and inland, which are fittest for colonies or garrisons, as well for doubt of the foreigner, as for keeping the country in bridle, would be found, surveyed, and resolved upon: and then that the patentees be tied to build in those places only, and to fortify as shall be thought convenient. And, lastly, it followeth of course, in countries of new populations, to invite and provoke inhabitants by ample liberties and charters. TO SIR GEORGE VILLIERS. SIR, I do more and more take contentment in his majesty's choice of Sir Oliver St. John, for his deputy of Ireland, finding, upon divers conferences with him, his great sufficiency; and I hope the good intelligence, which he purposeth to hold with me by advertisements from time to time, shall work a good effect for his majesty's service. I am wonderful desirous to see that kingdom flourish, because it is the proper work and glory And his majesty of his majesty and his times. may be pleased to call to mind, that a good while since, when the great rent and divisions were in the parliament of Ireland, I was no unfortunate remembrancer to his majesty's princely wisdom God ever keep you and pros in that business. For plantations and buildings, I do find it strange that in the last plot for the population of Munster, there were limitations how much in demesne, and how much in farm, and how much in tenancy; again, how many buildings should be erected, how many Irish in mixture should be admitted, and other things foreseen almost to curiosity; but no restraint that they might not build "sparsim" at their pleasure; nor any con- per you. dition that they should make places fortified and defensible: which omission was a strange neglect and secureness, to my understanding. So as for this last point of plantations and buildings, there be two considerations which I hold most material; the one for quickening, the other for assuring. The first is, that choice be made of such persons for the government of towns and places, and such undertakers be procured, as be men gracious and well beloved, and are like to be well followed. Wherein for Munster, it may be, because it is not res integra;" but that the former undertakers stand interested, there will be some difficulty: but Your true and most devoted 1 July, 1616.* SIR, FR. BACON. TO SIR GEORGE VILLIERS. I THINK I cannot do better service towards the good estate of the kingdom of Ireland than to procure the king to be well served in the eminent places of law and justice; I shall therefore name unto you for the attorney's place there, or for the * Stephens's Second Collection, p. 3. |