Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/183

 time, yet not able long to continue therewithall; that in short space there were none almost left, and a most populous and plentifull countrey suddainely left voyde of man and beast; yet sure in all that warre, there perished not many by the sword, but all by the extremitie of famine, which they themselves had wrought.

Eudox. It is a wonder that you tell, and more to bee wondred how it should so shortly come to passe

Iren. It is most true, and the reason also very ready; for you must conceive that the strength of all that nation, is the Kerne, Galloglasse, Stocah, Horseman, and Horseboy, the which having beene never used to have any thing of their owne, and now being upon spoyle of others, make no spare of any thing, but havocke and confusion of all they meet with, whether it bee their owne friends goods, or their foes. And if they happen to get never so great spoyle at any time, the same they waste and consume in a tryce, as naturally delighting in spoyle, though it doe themselves no good. On the other side, whatsoever they leave unspent, the souldier when hee commeth there, spoyleth and havocketh likewise, so that betweene both nothing is very shortly left. And yet this is very necessary to bee done for the soone finishing of the warre, and not only this in this wise, but also those subiects which doe border upon those parts, are either to bee removed and drawne away, or likewise to bee spoyled, that the enemy may find no succour thereby