Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/238

 21 8 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. (CH., worthy prince, by whose providence they are of slaves become subjects, having felt the benefit of justice whereof they never tasted before, such was the tyranny of their Irish lords. Where before the poor people were so pitifully oppressed as they had no joy of their lives, now they fall to such plays and pastimes as the like was never seen in Ireland; so as if this government con- tinue but three years more, they doubt not to live as merrily in Ireland as they do in the very heart of Eng- land. Lands that lay of long time waste, and of no profit to the owners, are now inhabited ; and that which before was let for a groat now yields twelve pence. The honest husbandman, whom coyn and livery had so im- poverished that he was fain to drive away his servants and family, as not able to sustain them, now calleth them home again, and retaineth more ; the idle man that lived before upon coyn and spoil, now falleth to husbandry, and earneth his living by labour ; and where before there was so little manurance and so much de- vouring by those raveners as that the country folk were not able to maintain themselves but by fetching their relief of grain from the good towns, now the country is so replenished that they come daily to the market to sell their superfluous store, so as the towns shall not need from henceforth to travel beyond the seas for their pro- visions as they have in times past been accustomed. To this time this poor country had in manner no feeling of good order, neither knew the poor fools God nor their prince, but as brute beasts lived under the miserable yoke of their ungodly Irish lords. Now, God be praised,