Consequently, after much deliberation, and 'laying the matter before the Lord' in prayer, it was resolved to bring over a state nurse from England, and to her special care were to be entrusted all the _accouchements_ in the city of Dublin.

Endowed with such a monopoly, it was natural enough that she should be an object of envy and dislike to those midwives whom she had supplanted.

She was therefore annoyed and insulted while passing through the streets.

To put a stop to these outrages, a proclamation was issued from Dublin Castle for her special protection, which began thus:-- _By the Commissioners of Parliament for the Affairs of Ireland_.
'Whereas we are informed by divers persons of repute and godliness, that Mrs.Jane Preswick hath, through the blessing of God, been very successful within Dublin and parts about, through the carefull and skillfull discharge of her midwife's duty, and instrumental to helpe sundry poore women who needed her helpe, which bathe abounded to the comfourte and preservation of many English women, who (being come into a strange country) had otherwise been destitute of due helpe, and necessitated to expose their lives to the mercy of Irish midwives, ignorant in the profession, and bearing little good will to any of the English nation, which being duly considered, we thought fitt to evidence this our acceptance thereof, and willingness that a person so eminently qualified for publique good and so well reported of for piety and knowledge in her art should receive encouragement and protection,' &c.
Cromwell and his ministers did not hesitate about applying heroic remedies for what they conceived to be grievances.

The Irish parliament was abolished, like the Irish churches, the Irish cities, and everything else that could be called Irish, except the thing for which they fought--_the land_, which was to be Irish no more.