Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/61

for I could wish, and this I could enforce, that all those wardships were in the Princes disposition, for then it might be hoped, that she, for the universall reformation of that realme, would take better order for bringing up those wards in good nurture, and not suffer them to come into so bad hands And although these things be already passed away, by her progenitours former grants unto those said Lords; yet I could finde a way to remedie a great part thereof, as hereafter, when fit time serves, shall appeare. And since we are entred into speech of such grants of former Princes, to sundry persons of this realme of Ireland, I will mention unto you some other, of like nature to this, and of like inconvenience, by which the former Kings of England passed unto them a great part of their prerogatives, which though then it was well intended, and perhaps well deserved of them which received the same, yet now such a gapp of mischeife lyes open thereby, that I could wish it were well stopped. Of this sort are the graunts of Counties Palatines in Ireland, which though at first were granted upon good consideration when they were first conquered, for that those lands lay then as a very border to the wild Irish, subject to continuall invasion, so as it was needfull to give them great priviledges for the defence of the inhabitants thereof: yet now that it is no more a border, nor frontired with enemies, why should such priviledges bee any continued?