see and supply their friends and kindred; which friendly commerce quite took away the evil report of wolves* and woodkerns which "envyers of planters' industry" had raised, to disturb this bees' nest of thriving Scotchmen.

The Planters were active and stirring; and if we give credit to their historian, they had an example of industry in their Lord and Lady, they both being active and intent on their work, “as birds after pairing to make nests for their brood." Accordingly, one might see streets and tenements growing up by the rare power of industry, and houses springing as it were out of the ground, "like Cadmus' colony."

e

But whilst the grosser sort were working for the mere material necessities of the new Plantation, their pious leader" for indeed our forefathers were more pious than ourselves," as well they might had made preparations for the performance of divine worship. When "the stump of the old castle," which appears to have been

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King Edgar is said to be the first who attempted to rid this kingdom of such disagreeable inmates, by commuting the punishment for certain crimes into the acceptance of a number of wolf's tongues from each criminal. However, some centuries after, these animals were again increased to such a degree, as to become the object of royal attention; accordingly, Edward the First issued out his mandate to one Peter Corbet to superintend and assist in the destruction of them. They are said to haye infested Ireland long after they were extirpated in England; however, the oldest men in that country remember nothing of these animals; and it is probable that there have been none there for more than a century past. Scotland also is totally free.". -Goldsmith's Animated Nature, vol. ii., p. 210.

own

the first consideration, was repaired (in the spring of 1606), so that there might be shelter for that year's summer and harvest, and for Sir Hugh and his servants, then his piety made some good store of provisions in those fair seasons towards roofing and fitting the chancel of the church for the worship of God; but his virtue was not without good calculation, for "therein he needed not withdraw his planters from working for themselves, because there were Irish Gibeonets and Garrons enough in his woods (alas! these poor despairing Irishes!) to hew and draw timber for the sanctuary." Before winter it was decently serviceable; and Sir Hugh had brought a supply of three chaplains over with him. In summer, 1608, some of the walls of an old priory were roofed in for the lady and children and servants (which were many) to live in. It was a strange hospitality which the houses of an old faith thus tendered to the Planters of a new race and a new religion.

Lady Montgomery, who would seem to have well deserved the eulogium bestowed upon the wife of Conn O'Neill, of being "a sharp, nimble woman," caused watermills to be built in all the parishes of her husband's principality, of which she stood in need in working about her gardens, carriages, &c. The arrival of "a commodity" of Scotch millers freed the colonists from the necessity of grinding their corn with the old and simple but troublesome machinery of the quairn stones, an inconvenience they were forced to undergo at their first coming.

Her ladyship had farms at Grey Abbey and at Comber, as well as at Newtown, both to supply her own domestic circle and the new impor tations of Montgomerys who were daily coming over; nor did she find any difficulty in getting a supply of labourers. For, and as a means of testing the station and condition of some of those who first planted English civility and the Gospel among us, the fact is worth observation_ many came over who had not the means to plant and take leases of land, but whose available capital was a cow or two, or a few sheep, for which she gave them grass and so much grain per annum, and a house and garden plot to live on, and some land for flax and potatoes, as they agreed on, for doing their work, and there be at this day (1698-1704) many such poor labourers amongst us; and this was but a part of her good management, for she set up and encouraged linen and woollen manufactory."*

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Nothing can surpass the agreeable picture. given of the settlement in the Ardes. Every body-a thing which is equally rare in old and new settlements-minded his own business at the plough and the spade, and building, and the nursing up orchards, and the planting of fruit. trees, and the making of ditches. The old wives spun, whilst the garrulous murmur of their tales mingled with the industrious noises of the spinning wheel; young girls plied their nimble fingers and nimbler tongues, and every one was innocently busy. "Now the Golden peaceable

F

Montgom. MSS. p. 53,

age was renewed: no strife, contention, querulous lawyers, or Scottish or Irish feuds, between clans and families, and sirnames, disturbing the tranquillity of those times; and the towns and temples were erected, with other great works done (even in troublesome years.)"

This was the mere planting of the seed. The seed time passed, and the harvest came. Cadmus had well planted his teeth, for we are told that in a few years from the beginning of the Plantation, Lord Montgomery brought before the Muster-Master of the King, one thousand fighting men; and by letters patent Newtown was created a Corporation, whereof the Lord Hugh is named Provost, and the Right Worshipful the Burgesses are also named. And so was consummated the Plantation in the Ardes of Down;* and so was the first stone laid of the greatness of the Montgomerys and the Hamiltons in the land of the O'Neills!

"This corporation hath divers priviledges, the most remarkable are that every Parliament they send two Burgesses to serve therein; the other is that it can hold a Court every second Friday for debt, trespass, and damage, not exceeding three score six shillings and eight pence, sterling. The town hath in it an excellent piece of freestone work of eight squares, called the cross, with a door behind; within are stairs mounting to the towers, over which is a high stone pillar, and proclamations are made thereon; on the floor whereof at each square is an antique spout which vented claret, King Charles the 2d being proclaimed our King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, &c. Ao. Do. 1649.”

CHAPTER IV.

Plans for the great Plantation-Bacon's plan-Projects and observations upon them.

WE have dwelt at length on the Plantation in the Ardes of Down; for though not necessarily belonging to our immediate subject it possesses many features of engaging interest and belonging equally to that more extensive settlement which planted in the great domains of O'Neill and O'Donnell, and Mac Guire, and O'Dogherty, and O'Reilly, a new people, a new Faith, new habits, laws, institutions, traditions, a new history, and a new and more potent Aristocracy.

The

There was no character which James coveted more than that of planter and legislator of countries, and no passion of his was greater than that which he had for introducing "civility," and the English laws and customs into Ireland. Nothing could have been more fortunate for this object than the rebellions and sham rebellions which disturbed the earlier part of his reign. materials for experamentalizing were presented to his hands abundantly in the six northern counties of Ulster-Donegal, Tyrone, Derry, Fermanagh, Cavan, and Armagh—"a tract of country," we are told by Leland, "covered with woods, where robbers and rebels found a secure shelter, desolated by war and famine, and destined to be