Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/334

 partakers of the commodities then chiefly found in that soile. These are also supposed to have invented the distribution of shires into Cantredes, every Cantrede or Barony, conteining an hundred Towneships, wherewith the name and use of hundreds, well knowne in England, might seeme to accord.

Variance for the chiefty set the foure brethren at a lovve ebbe, and then Slanius perched over them all, encroached every way round about the middle stone certaine miles for provision and furniture of his owne houshold, which plot in time obtained the name of one generall part, and now maketh up the fift, Media. Meth it was called either for moytie of Cantredes, being but sixteene, hereas the rest comprised thirty to apeece, or for the site thereof in the navell of Ireland. This hee assigned to the Monarch a surplus over and above his Inheritance, hich notithstanding gre to a severall Kingdome, and alloed thereof certaine parts by composition. Not long after dyed Slanius, & as buried in a mountaiue of Meth that carrieth his name. Thirty yeares the Monarchy as possessed in this order, but shortly the Princes oing fealty, beganne to stomack the Intrusion of Slanius, & hen he as once rid, they disdained his successour, whereupon ensued everlasting Battels. The Monarchy was laide downe, then fell they at debate for the land of Meth, which strife could never be appeased. In the necke of those troubles came over a new army of Scithians, who claymed also from Nemodus their fore-