Page:Confiscation in Irish history.djvu/141

 The next clause specifically makes mention of religion. It provided that all persons of the Popish religion who had resided in Ireland at any time from October 1st, 1641, until March 1st, 1650, and had not come under any of the previous clauses were to lose one-third of their estates, and to get lands equal to the other two-thirds wherever the parliament might appoint, unless they could prove constant good affection to the commonwealth. And all other persons, i.e. Protestants, who had been in Ireland at any time during the same period were to forfeit one-fifth of their estates unless they could show that they had been in actual service of the parliament or had otherwise manifested good affection to its interests having opportunity to do the same. It is to be noticed that they were not required to prove constant good affection, and that they were to keep four-fifths of their actual estates.

Now the capital value of land in the 17th century was estimated to be ten years of the rental. These Protestants then were ultimately required to pay two years' rent to the parliament. And to the other Protestants who were to forfeit two-thirds a concession was afterwards made. They were allowed, if they accepted the Republic, to redeem all or some of the two-thirds by paying heavy fines, and were not removed to other parts of the country. Thus the Earl of Clanbrassil had to pay £9,000, about £25,000 of our money, for his estates and Lord Montgomery £3,000.

Those Protestants who refused to acknowledge the Republican Government lost all their estates, as did those Catholics who refused to submit. It