Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/167

 perceive the troubles growing more upon us, and one evill growing upon another, insomuch as there is no part now sound or ascertained, but all have their eares upright, wayting when the watch-word shall come, that they should all arise generally into rebellion, and cast away the English subjection. To which there now little wanteth; for I thinke the word be already given, and there wanteth nothing but opportunitie, which truely is the death of one noble person, who being himselfe most stedfast to his soveraigne Queene, and his countrey, coasting upon the South-Sea, stoppeth the ingate of all that evill which is looked for, and holdeth in all those which are at his becke, with the terrour of his greatnesse, and the assurance of his most immoveable loyaltie: And therefore where you thinke, that good and sound lawes might amend, and reforme things there amisse, you think surely amisse. For it is vaine to presciibe lawes, where no man careth for keeping of them, nor feareth the daunger for breaking of them. But all the realme is first to be reformed, and lawes are afterwards to bee made for keeping and continuing it in that reformed estate.

Eudox. How then doe you think is the reformation thereof to be begunne, if not by lawes and ordinances?