The idle men of war ate up altogether; the lord and his men took what they pleased, destroying their tenants, and themselves never the better.

The common people, having nothing left to lose, became as idle and careless in their behaviour as the rest, stealing by day and robbing by night.

Yet it was a state of things which they seemed all equally to enjoy, and high and low alike were always ready to bury their own quarrels, to join against the Queen and the English.' At the time when the crown passed to Elizabeth the qualities of the people were thus described by a correspondent of the council, who presents the English view of the Irishry at that time:-- 'The appearance and outward behaviour of the Irish showeth them to be fruits of no good tree, for they exercise no virtue and refrain and forbear from no vice, but think it lawful to do every man what him listeth.

They neither love nor dread God, nor yet hate the devil.

They are worshippers of images and open idolaters.