Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/319

 CAP. VI.

Of the meere Jrish

the meere Irish, I am to advertise my Reader, that hee impute not to them the faults of their Auncestors, which heere I have noted for two causes. First, that when the same are reade in Cambrensis, Solinus, or others, he confounds not the times, but may be able distinctly to consider their manners, then different from these dayes. Secondly, that it may appeare how much Ireland is beholding to God for suffering them to be conquered, whereby many of these enormities were cured, and more might be, would themselves be plyable.

In some corners of the land they used a damnable superstition, leaving the right armes of their Infants males unchristened (as they tearmed it) to the intent it might give a more ungracious and deadly blow.

I found a fragment of an Epistle, wherein a ver tuous Monke declareth, that to him (travailing in Vlster) came a grave Gentleman about Easter, desirous to be confessed and howseled, who in all his life time had never yet received the blessed Sacrament. When he had said his minde, the Priest demaunded him, whether he were faultlesse in the sinne of Homicide? Hee answered, that hee never wist the matter to bee haynous before, but being instructed