selves or their children to be swept into the stream; and from the
century which succeeded the Conquest till the reign of the eighth
Henry, the strange phenomenon repeated itself, generation after
generation, baffling the wisdom of statesmen, and paralysing every
effort at a remedy.

[Sidenote: Despair of English statesmen.]

[Sidenote: The herbs did never grow which could cure the evils of
Ireland.]

[Sidenote: Causes of the corruption.]

Here was a difficulty which no skill could contend against, and which
was increased by the exertions which were made to oppose it. The healthy
elements which were introduced to leaven the old became themselves
infected, and swelled the mass of evil; and the clearest observers were
those who were most disposed to despair. Popery has been the scapegoat
which, for the last three centuries, has borne the reproach of Ireland;
but before popery had ceased to be the faith of the world, the problem
had long presented itself in all its hopelessness. "Some say" (this is
the language of 1515), "and for the most part every man, that to find
the antidotum for this disease is impossible--for what remedy can be had
now more than hath been had unto this time? And there was never remedy
found in this two hundred year that could prosper; and no medicine can
be had now for this infirmity but such as hath been had afore this time.
And folk were as wise that time as they be now; and since they could
never find remedy, how should remedy be found by us? And the Pander
maketh answer and saith, that it is no marvel that our fathers that were
of more wit and wisdom than we, could not find remedy in the premises,
_for the herbs did never grow_. And also he saith that the wealth and
prosperity of every land is the commonwealth of the same, and not the
private wealth; and all the English noble folk of this land passeth
always their private weal; and in regard thereof setteth little or
nought by the common weal; insomuch as there is no common folk in all
this world so little set by, so greatly despised, so feeble, so poor,
so greatly trodden under foot, as the king's poor common folk be of
Ireland."[286] There was no true care for the common weal--that was the
especial peculiarity by which the higher classes in Ireland were
unfortunately distinguished. In England, the last consideration of a
noble-minded man was his personal advantage; Ireland was a theatre for a
universal scramble of selfishness, and the inva