THE ENGLISH POLICY 



Mutt let the said apparance probable 

 Thus disposed without feyned fable. 

 But all onely for perill that I see 

 Thus imminent, it's likely for to bee. 

 And well I wotte, that from hence to Rome, 

 And, as men say, in all Christendome, 

 Is no ground ne land to Ireland liche, 

 So large, so good, so plenteous, so riche, 

 That to this worde Dominus doe long. 

 Then mee semeth that right were and no wrong, 

 To get the lande : and it were piteous 

 To us to lese this high name Dominus. 

 And all this word Dominus of name 

 Shuld have the ground obeysant wilde and tame. 

 That name and people togidre might accord 

 Al the ground subject to the Lord. 

 And that it is possible to bee subject, 

 Unto the king wel shal it bee detect, 

 In the litle booke that I of spake. 

 I trowe reson al this wol undertake. 

 And I knowe wel howe it stante, 

 Alas fortune beginneth so to scant, 

 Or ellis grace, that deade is governance. 

 For so minisheth parties of our puissance, 

 In that land that wee lese every yere, 

 More ground and more, as well as yee may here. 

 I herd a man speake to mee full late. 

 Which was a lord of full great estate ; 

 Than expense of one yere done in France 

 Werred on men well willed of puissance 

 This said ground of Ireland to conquere. 

 And yet because England might not forbere 

 These said expenses gadred in one yeere, 

 But in three yeeres or foure gadred up here, 

 Might winne Ireland to a finall conqueste, 

 In one sole yeere to set us all at reste. 

 And how soone wolde this be paied ageyne : 

 Which were it worth yerely, if wee not feyne : 



i35 



A.D. 



c H37- 



This Lorde 



was the Earle 

 of Ormond 

 that told to me 

 this matter, 

 that he would 

 undertake it, 

 in pain of losse 

 of al his live- 

 lihood. 



But this prof- 

 fer could not 

 be admitted. 

 Ergo matt. 

 [I. 201.] 



