Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/501

 creaseth your strength, many an Irish Lord would he set agog that now is full lowly, and holdeth in his homes, and the open enemy would scowre your quar- ters that now dares not venture lest he pay for his passage. Consider me the effect of an Army wrought in these few yeares, for doubt whereof you are nothing so oft nor so lamentably pelted at, as your auncestors were, which of them durst be stored with coyne, knowing the rebells teeth watered thereat, and himselfe not able to hold him out? which of them had leisure to build, to lye soft and warme, to take his ease in his owne home? which of them were plated, or jewelled, or attyred themselves, their wivves and children sumptuously, after their calling, as you doe now? If your bagges bee full where theirs were lancke, if you dwell neatly where they dwelled homely, if you sleep on featherbeds where they slept on couches, if you be sumptuous where they were skant, you have the more cause to honour that Scepter, that so directeth you, and to love the warrant that pro- cureth you this quietnes, the mother of all your wealth and prosperity.

Therefore to conclude where I began, weigh well the sicke and wounded parts of your common wealth, cure the roote, regard the foundation, the principall pillars, the summer posts, the stone walles, as for the roofe and the tytes, if yee repaire them onely, and suffer the ground worke to perish, a tempest of wea- ther, a flowe will shake your building. Of some such good and substantial! reformation I would advise you