he crown. Their incomes were thus ascertained, and a loan was
demanded, which, when granted, was made a gift by the ever-servile
Parliament.

In 1545 a benevolence was demanded, though benevolences had been
declared illegal by Act of Parliament. This method of raising money had
been attempted at an early period of his reign; but the proposal met
with such spirited opposition from the people, that even royalty was
compelled to yield. A few years later, when the fatal result of
opposition to the monarch's will and pleasure had become apparent, he
had only to ask and obtain. Yet neither percentage, nor tenths, nor
sacrilegious spoils, sufficed to meet his expenses; and, as a last
expedient, the coin was debased, and irreparable injury inflicted on the
country.

On the 28th of January, 1547, Edward VI. was crowned King of England.
The Council of Regency appointed by Henry was set aside, and Seymour,
Duke of Somerset, appointed himself Protector. St. Leger was continued
in the office of Lord Deputy in Ireland; but Sir Edward Bellingham was
sent over as Captain-General, with a considerable force, to quell the
ever-recurring disturbances. His energetic character bore down all
opposition, as much by the sheer strength of a strong will as by force
of arms. In 1549 the Earl of Desmond refused to attend a Council in
Dublin, on the plea that he wished to keep Christmas in his own castle.
Bellingham, who had now replaced St. Leger as Lord Deputy, set out at
once, with a small party of horse, for the residence of the refractory
noble, seized him as he sat by his own fireside, and carried him off in
triumph to Dublin.

In 1548 O'Connor and O'More were expelled from Offaly and Leix, and
their territory usurped by an Englishman, named Francis Bryan. Cahir Roe
O'Connor, one of the sept, was executed in Dublin, and a number of the
tribe were sent to assist in the Scotch wars. The political cabals in
England consequent on the youth of the King, who nominally governed the
country, occasioned frequent changes in the Irish administration.

In 1551 the Lord Deputy Crofts succeeded Sir Thomas Cusack, and led an
army into Ulster against the Scotch settlers, who had long been regarded
with a jealous eye by the English Government; but he was defeated both
at this time and on a subsequent occasion. No Parliament was convened
during this short reign, and the affairs of the country were
administered by the Privy Council. Dr. Browne and Dr. Staple