nine in this immediate neighbourhood, all of which Proprietors are specifically described. The existing family set such composition as shall be agreeable with equity and good conscience, obtain letters patent, to be made unto them, in such sort as their several cases shall require; We commission you, any seven or more of you (the lord deputy to be one) to bargain, sell, and conclude in our name for ready money paid in hand, or sufficient security for the same, to or with any persons, of or for any of his majesty's manors lands, &c." (Inrolled 8th James I. fifth part d. R. 2.) This salutary measure was afterwards renewed (13th James I. ist, part. f. r. 2.) and in the mean time the settlement in Ulster was completely effected. But notwithstanding these attempts to benefit the country were apparently well intended, and in general carried on with every semblance of equity and attention to former rights, yet the temptation to needy and rapacious adventurers was great, and under the pretence of detecting concealed lands, multitudes of the native Irish were deprived of great parts of their ancient inheritances, which, with unpardonable connivance of the state, were granted to the uuprincipled informers. These flagrant acts of injustice sunk deeply into the minds of the irritated natives, and their baneful effects sprung forth after a lapse of many years. During the remainder of the reiga of king James, several other measures were taken professedly, to perfect the great work of pacification which had been commenced, but their beneficial effects were greatly diminished by a repetition of the abuses just alluded to. In the parliament of 1813, the degrading distinctions between the English settlers and Irish natives were totally abolished; leases were made of all the crown lands which were impartially granted to both. The plantation of Longford and the territory of Ely O'Carroll in the King's county between the undertaker and natives, was effected. (Rot. pat. 17 James I. 1 p. f. r. 49.) A commission soon after issued to commissioners to enquire what manors, towns, lands, and other hereditaments, as well spiritual as temporal, were situate within the territories or circuits of land called the Byrne's country, by the names of Byrnes and Cosha, and in the territory of Clancapp, county of Wicklow, who were or pretended to be the owners, possessors, or proprietors thereof? of what quantity they were respectively seized or possessed? and by what title they held the same? what rents, services, and customs, chiefries or duties any person claimed or received thereout? and to accept deeds of surrender thereof. 17th James I. 3. p. d. f s.) This district was found by inqui Proprietors tlements are also fully recognized, and the several entails extending through four generations, are sition to be the property of the crown. Part was accordingly granted to colonists, aud the remainder to the old possessors under certain restrictions. This was followed by another commission dated at Westminster the 29th January, 1620, reciting, that the lands in the county of Leytrim aud in the territories of Ferrall, Delvin, M'Coghlan and Kilcoursie in the King's county, Iregan in the Queen's county, and a part of Clancolman in the county of Westmeath, being lawfully come to the king in right of his crown, bis majesty, as well in regard of his seal to Almighty God, which in the whole course of his government had been and was his chief care, as of his great and tender respect to his kingdom, where he desired that civility and goodness should be known and embraced by those, which, as yet, were ignorant thereof, resolved to confer such parts of said county and territories as were specified in bis instructions for that plantation, upon such British andertakers, as should be conformable to the religion established in the charches of his other kingdoms, and every way dutiful and obedient to the laws. "Yet (saith his majesty) bave we not for these pretences (bow fair soever) any purpose to leave our other subjects the ancient inhabitants of those parts, destitute of sufficient means to support them, according to their several qualities and degrees, as may appear by the favorable regard which we have had of the better sort of them in our said instructions for that plantation, and the large quantity of the said lands which for the convenient settling of all of them in general, we have been pleased to assign unto them, and to the end that our royal intention and direction, concerning the said plantation, may be the better performed, we, reposing special trust and confidence in your care, diligence and circumspection, do appoint you our com missioners of the said intended plantation of the said county and territories, and to cause letters patent to be made thereof, according to our letters from Westminster 12th October last past, and to the said instructions annexed." (18th James I. 2d part d. R. 46.) Of these extensive territories upwards of 400,000 acres were re-granted under this commission, and although it was declared that the rights of the old inhabitants should be secured, and their tenures rendered permianent, yet during the course of the proceedings the most wicked meani were openly resorted to by subornation and perjury, and other infamous practices, by which many of the unfortunate natives were stripped of their ancient estates of inheritance for no other crime than. merely because they had the misfortune to be Irish. carefully enumerated. It appears, by this deed, that Proprietors the lordship of Tullaroan was then in remainder In this reign, when the loyal and peaceable inclinations and de meauor of the people took away all pretext for open confiscations, a new expedient was invented to invalidate the tenures of the Irish. The right of the crown to all the lands in the kingdom was traced as far back as the reign of Hen. 11. In a country, circumstanced as Ireland had been from that memorable æra, legal defects in titles were easily found, neither length of possession nor hereditary right were respected, and unless the possessors sued out new grants at advanced rents, they lay at the mercy of every unprincipled informer. Of these iniquious proceedings the entire province of Connaught affords an affecting example. The noblemen and gentry of this province had, in the late reign, surrendered their estates to the crown, but through the turbulence of the times, or from some other reason, they had in general delayed to observe the prescribed form of having their surrenders enrolled, their re-grauts perfected, and their new titles completed. This omission was now represented as irremediable, and a general forfeiture and division of this extensive quarter of the kingdom was immediately anticipated by those who were only lying in wait to partake of the spoil. From so flagrant an act of injustice, however, the king at first recoiled; be accordingly, gave directions to remedy this alledged defect, and ordered other grants to be immediately made oot. Although these expectants were thus disappointed in sharing the lands of this province, an unforeseen incident again revived their bopes. By fraud or design of the officers of chancery, the several new patents were Dever formally enroiled, although they exacted several thousand pounds from the patentees for the purpose. In order, as is supposed, to save the expence of parchment and other charges of enrollment, a paper book was provided into which these numerous grants were transcribed. This volume yet remains in the rolls office of chan. cery, with the following inscription, "seperales concessiones faclas inhabitantibus comitat' Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, et Galway, in provincia Conacie, virtute litterarum Domini Regis Jacobi, dat. 21 Julii.' This informality was immediately fastened on. It was insisted that, as the law required all enrollments to be written on parchment rolls, those entries or transcripts in a paper book, could not be esteemed enroll. ments according to law, and that therefore the grants were void, and the lauds vested in the crown. Strange and unaccountable as it M Proprietors to the heirs male of the body of the said Robert Grace's late son and heir apparent, Oliver Grace may appear to a modern reader, this unparalleled instance of cruelty and fraud was favourably entertained by the king, and a plantation of the entire province of Connaught, similar to that which had been recently effected in Ulster, was determined on. The unfortunate proprietors struck with dismay, threw themselves on the justice and clemency of the crown. They humbly entreated permission to take out new grants, offered to double their annual composition, and to pay into the royal coffers such fines as would amount to any benefit which could arise from the projected plantation. Thus, as mr. William Paruell observes, with not less truth than point, James commenced with planting or confiscating for the advantage of the country, and ended with confiscating for the advantage of himself. Before however the result of these remonstrances and proposals could be known, he yielded to the stroke of mortality, leaving an agitated country to be regulated by his ill-fated successor, and how far he succeeded in this arduous task, now remains for consideration. Some pecuniary assistance rendered to Charles after his accession, seems to have operated in favour of the Irish, and to have obtained from him those royal graces, which, if he had been really sincere, would have at length put an end to all the disorders of this unfortunate country, and commenced a new era of peace and prosperity, but that happy period was not then destined to arrive. In 1628 his majesty amongst other things, renounced all claims to lands beyond 60 years, the inhabitants of Connaught were admitted to enrol their patents, and the titles of all proprietors throughout the kingdom were to be confirmed in parliament. Notwithstanding those concessions, it afterwards appeared, that the king had, from the commencement, deceived the country: a deceit which we are constrained to admit was acquiesced in by lord Strafford, who nevertheless proved himself one of its most active benefactors, by his introduction and liberal patronage of the linen manufacture, and protection of the lower orders. No soouer however was this able but arbitrary statesman appointed to the goveru. ment of Ireland, than be resolved to violate the royal graces which were so recently before conceded by the crown, although in the parliament which soon after assembled, three several acts were passed to carry into effect commissions of grace for remedy of defective titles, (St. 10 Ch. I. Sesion 1.) and for securing the estates of settlers in the plantations made by queen Elizabeth, James I. and Charles. He again |