Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 10.djvu/299

STA TE OF IRELAND. 27$ to maintain themselves on their private means. The soldiers had been paid with notes of hand, which for a time they had forced upon the country people ; but the notes sunk at last so low in public esteem, that they had scarcely a nominal value, and the garrisons had then extorted what they required under the name of Cess to the Crown. They were thus mere gangs of organized robbers, who lived by plunder, and whose main occupa- tion was to kill. They had become so worthless for fighting purposes, that Fitzwilliam thought a hundred of them would run before a score of Alva's Spaniards. ' The despair of payment ' had bred disorders, he said, which would move any Christian man's heart to solicit a reformation. The Crown did not pay the officers, the officers did not pay the men, the men did not pay the farmers, and the farmers could pay no rent to their landlords ; all was poverty, confusion, and discontent. The state of the Pale and the countries bordering on it was so intolerable, that any remedy seemed better than none ; and Burghley was recommended to buy up the depreciated bonds at the price for which they were being sold by the farmers. 1 It was thought that the unfortunate people would gladly compound for what they could get, if only the exactions might cease, and 1 ' The despair of payment is of all parts so great as offering, as they do, to strangers these bills and war- rants for a third part less than the debt, it is to be presumed that if this were dealt withal by discreet and well-wishing commissioners. these debts to the country might be paid with great ease to the Queen's Majesty.' Notes on the state of Ireland, by Edward Tremayne. En- dorsed by Burghley ' A good advice,' June 1571.