the State of Ireland--The Insurrection of Silken
Thomas--His Execution with his five Uncles--First Attempt to introduce
the Reformation in Ireland--Real Cause of the English Schism--The King
acts as Head of the Church--The New Religion enacted by Law, and
enforced by the Sword--How the Act was opposed by the Clergy, and how
the Clergy were disposed of--Dr. Browne's Letter to Henry--The Era of
Religious Persecution--Massacre of a Prelate, Priest, and
Friars--Wholesale Plunder of Religious Property.

[A.D. 1509-1540.]

We have now approached one of the most important standpoints in Irish
history. An English writer has divided its annals into three eras, which
he characterizes thus: first, the era of military violence; second, the
era of legal iniquity; third, the era of religious persecution.[380] We
may mark out roughly certain lines which divide these periods, but
unhappily the miseries of the two former blended eventually with the yet
more cruel wrongs of the latter. Still, until the reign of Henry VIII.,
the element of religious contention did not exist; and its importance as
an increased source of discord, may be easily estimated by a careful
consideration of its subsequent effects. Nevertheless, I believe that
Irish history has not been fairly represented by a considerable number
of writers, who are pleased to attribute all the sufferings and wrongs
endured by the people of that country to religious grounds.

Ireland was in a chronic state of discontent and rebellion, in the eras
of military violence and legal iniquity, which existed some centuries
before the era of religious persecution; but, unquestionably all the
evils of the former period were enhanced and intensified, when the power
which had so long oppressed and plundered, sought to add to bodily
suffering the still keener anguish of mental torture.

In the era of military violence, a man was driven from his ancestral
home by force of arms; in the era of legal iniquity, he was treated as a
rebel if he complained; but in the era of religious persecution, his
free will, the noblest gift of God to man--the gift which God Himself
will not shackle--was demanded from him; and if he dared act according
to the dictates of his conscience, a cruel death or a cruel confiscation
was his portion. And this was done in the name of liberty of conscience!
While England was Catholic, it showed no mercy to Catholic Ireland; I
doubt much, if Ireland had become Protestant to