The permission was granted; but at the end of the year, taking advantage of this favour, he refused to give up the land.

Proceedings at law were immediately commenced against him; and it was in this case that the first trial in Ireland was brought, on an act for recovering double rent from a tenant for holding forcible possession after notice to quit.
'This vexatious and unjust practice of tenants against landlords had been too common, and had too long been favoured by the party spirit of juries; who, being chiefly composed of tenants, had made it a common cause, and a principle, if it could in any way be avoided, never to give a verdict, as they said, against themselves.
But in this case the indulgent character of the landlord, combined with the ability and eloquence of' his advocate, succeeded in moving the jury--a verdict was obtained for the landlord.

The double rent was paid; and the fraudulent tenant was obliged to quit the country unpitied.

Real good was done by this example.' Edgeworth objected strongly to a practice common among the gentry, 'to protect their tenants when they got into any difficulties by disobeying the laws.

Smuggling and illicit distilling seemed to be privileged cases, where, the justice and expediency of the spirit of the law being doubtful, escaping from the letter of it appeared but a trial of ingenuity or luck.