Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/463

OP IRELAND. 165 change his Master, sent his confederates with letters of credence to Frauncis the French King, and having but cold comfort there, to Charlies the Emperour, prof- fering the helpe of Mounster and Connaght towards the conquest of Ireland, if either of them would helpe to wine it from our King. How many letters ? what precepts ? what messages ? what threats have been sent you to apprehend him ? and yet not done : why so ? forsooth I could not catch him : Nay nay, Earle, forsooth you would not nighly watch him. If he be justly suspected, why are you partiall in so great a charge ? If not, why are you fearefull to have him tryed ? Yea Sir, it wil be sworne & deposed to your face, that for feare of meeting him, you have winked, wilfully shunned his sight, altered your course, warned his friends, stopped both eyes and eares against his detectors, and when soever you tooke upon you to hunt him out, then was he sure before-hand to bee out of your walke : surely this juggling and false-play, little became either an honest man, called to such honour, or a Nobleman put in such trust. Had you lost but a Cow, or a Garron of your ovvne, two hundred Kyrneghes would have come at your whistle, to rescue the prey from the uttermost edge of Vlster : All the Irish in Ireland must have given you the way. But in pursuing so weightie a matter as this, mercifull God, how nice, how dan- gerous, how wayward have you bin ? One while he is from home, another while he keepeth home, some- times fled, sometimes in the borders where you dare