176 ON THE STATE OF IRELAND. [BOOK II. 



Unless a tradesman can give a pledge, he will sel- 

 dom be able to get anything on credit during his illness. 

 The people are afraid he might die, and that they would 

 never be paid. "The day before yesterday/' a witness 

 said, " a woman from this town was taken ill on the road : 

 her daughter was with her all night : she lay by the side of 

 a ditch, and died in the morning." 



It invariably happens, when a tradesman dies, that his 

 family are obliged to beg. Although tailors and shoe- 

 makers may have constant work, they are never able to 

 lay up anything, and when they die their families are forced 

 to beg. 



In the town the sick sometimes obtain a piece of meat, 

 and some broth and tea from ladies. In the country they 

 have no assistance. 



The cottier is better off in illness than a labourer or 

 tradesman, for he generally has some provisions by him ; 

 but the labourer or tradesman has nothing but what he 

 buys from day to day. 



County of Mayo; examinations taken by J. Spencer, Esq. 8f W. Gray, Esq.; 

 parish of Burrishoole, barony of Burrishoole. Seventeen witnesses. 



The examination was held in a public room, which was 

 crowded. 



It was stated that there is no dispensary, neither in this 

 nor any adjoining parish ; there is no fund or subscrip- 

 tion for the sick poor, nor any hospital where they can re- 

 ceive the least assistance ; and what has been said of the 

 infirm and widows may be repeated concerning the sick. 



The Commissioners state, that they examined Michael 

 Horan, whose family was at that moment ill. He holds 

 three acres of land at a fair rate, and his condition may 



