Page:A View of the State of Ireland - 1809.djvu/498

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200
CAMPION'S HISTORE

200 campion's historie wealth, seditiously promoted in Tom Loodles ryme, but some good and substantiall matter worth the hearing, which upright and equall men will indeede esteeme. As for his complaint of Cesse and Imposi- tion, it favoureth either hatefull malice, or childish folly, malice if he would decay the garrison that pre- serveth the Realme, folly if he thinke the Realme can be preserved without a garrison, vvherin I will shew you my fancie by the way, perhaps out of all order, but I pray beare with mee, I take matters as they come next to hand, I can not skill of written tales. Many a good-fellow talkes of Robin Hoode, that never drew in his Bow, and many an idle head is full of Proclamations, and conceiveth certaine farre fetches, able in his weening to wield a Realme. But let me see which of them all can Justine, that Ireland may spare the Army they kicke so much against. Are your enemyes more tractable then they have beene ? Are they fewer? Are you by your selves of force to match them ? If you bee, then were England starke madde, to disburse twentie or thirtie thousand pounds a yeare, for none other purpose but to vexe and grieve you : that were like the husband who gelded himselfe to anger his wife. You must not thinke wee love you so evill, nay rather thinke truely wee tender your quietnesse and preservation, as a nation derived from our auncestours, ingraffed and incorporate into one body with us, disturbed with a sort of barbarous people, odious to God and man, that lappe your bloud as greedily as ours. The abuse of souldiours, their