to transport a thousand Irish boys and a thousand Irish girls to
the island. At first, the young women only were demanded to which it is
replied: "Although we must use force in taking them up, yet, it being so
much for their own good, and likely to be of so great advantage to the
public, it is not in the least doubted that you may have such number of
them as you shall think fit."--Thurloe, iv. 23. In the next letter II.
Cromwell says: "I think it might be of like advantage to your affairs
there, and ours here, if you should think fit to send one thousand five
hundred or two thousand young boys of twelve or fourteen years of age to
the place aforementioned. We could well spare them, and they would be of
use to you; and who knows but it may be a means to make them Englishmen, I
mean rather Christians?" (p. 40). Thurloe answers: "The committee of the
council have voted one thousand girls, and as many youths, to be taken up
for that purpose" (p. 75).]

[Footnote 2: Petty, Polit. Arithmetic, 29.]

under the government of a Catholic sovereign, whose enmity they had
provoked, to the green fields of Erin, and all the benefits which
they might derive from the fostering care and religions creed of the
protector.[1]

III. By an act,[a] entitled an act for the settlement of Ireland, the
parliament divided the royalists and Catholics into different classes, and
allotted to each class an appropriate degree of punishment. Forfeiture of
life and estate was pronounced against all the great proprietors of lands,
banishment against those who had accepted commissions; the forfeiture
of two-thirds of their estates against all who had borne arms under the
confederates of the king's lieutenant, and the forfeiture of one-third
against all persons whomsoever who had not been in the actual service of
parliament, or had not displayed their constant good affection to the
commonwealth of England. This was the doom of persons of property: to all
others, whose estates, real and personal, did not amount to the value of
ten pounds, a full and free pardon was graciously offered.[2]

Care, however, was taken that the third parts, which by this act were to be
restored to the original proprietors, were not to be allotted to them out
of their former estates, but "in such places as the parliament, for the
more effectual settlement of the peace of the nation, should think fit to
appoint." When the first plan of extermination had failed, another project
was