History and Progfess, 9 



abortive. Notwithstanding his high favour with the Queen, 

 his expedition to Ireland was not successful : Essex dis- 

 pleased EHzabeth, and was recalled. 



Sir Arthur Chichester, a Devonshire man, who had been 

 appointed by the Earl of Essex Governor of Carrickftrgus 

 and the two Clannaboys, was made Lord-Deputy in 1604. 

 He also received a grant of the town, manor, and castle of 

 Belfast, and may truly be called the founder of the town. 

 He was created, in 161 2, Baron Chichester of Belfast. At 

 this time the place was a mere village of a few scattered 

 huts of about 500 inhabitants, on the margin of the lough, 

 and clustering for protection near to the castle ; the Ford, 

 the Castle, and the Church forming the three distinguish- 

 ing features of the place which made the locality known in 

 early times. Upon his advice Belfast was constituted a 

 Corporation by charter of King James I., to consist of 

 a sovereign, or chief magistrate, and twelve burgesses and 

 commonalty, with the right of sending two members to 

 the Irish parliament. 





CASTLE PLACE, HELFAST, IN TllK SEVENTKENTH CENTURY. 



Sir Arthur Chichester, in 161 1, built a castle upon or near 

 the site occupied by the former castles, and which an old writer 

 in 1635 describes as "a stately palace which is indeed the 

 glory and beauty of the town." This, the last of the fortified 



