Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/246

226 REIGN OF ELIZABETH. CH. 59. English, soldiers wlio had been just dismissed were ready made for the purpose ; there were many ' husband- men, ploughwrights, cartwrights, smiths, and carpen- ters 7 among them. They might form a settlement at once at some point in the North, where they could defend themselves at least with as much success as the Scots ; and afterwards fishermen might be tempted vith privileges to form establishments at the mouths of the rivers, which in time ' might grow into haven towns/ 1 The difficulty was still the expense. The colonists would require an outfit, which the Queen would be unwilling to provide, and Sidney recommended a subscription among the wealthy English noblemen and gentlemen. 2 A more developed plan was conceived perhaps by Cecil, which would have amounted to an organized invasion. It was proposed that one able- bodied emigrant should be selected from every two parishes in England. The expense of transporting them to Ireland and of maintaining them for the first year 1 Mr Vice-Chamberlain's opinion in the causes of Ireland, July 7, 1567: MSS. Ireland. 2 * For Ulster too true it is that the charge will be intolerable for her Majesty either to defend that pro- vince by soldiers or to plant it with people at her own charge ; and yet one of these two ways must be taken before reformation of revenue can be looked for. In my opinion, per- suasion should be used among the noblemen and gentlemen of England that there might at sundry men's charges without exhausting the Prince's particular purse, be induced here some colony. If it were to the number of two thousand men or more, here were room enough for them, but then they must be furnish- ed with money, apparel, victuals, and means to till the ground, and seed for the same, as if they should imagine to find nothing here but earth, and indeed little else sball they find, saving only flesh and some beasts for earing of the ground. There liveth not the two hundredth man which might well be nourished here.' Sidney to Cecil, November 20, 1568 : MSS. Ireland.