A DIRECTION FOR THE PLANTATION IN ULSTER.  

Containing in it, six principal things, Viz.  
1. The securing of that wild Country to the Crown of England.  
2. The withdrawing of all the charge of the Garrison and men of war.  
3. The rewarding of the old Servitors to their good content.  
4. The means how to increase the Revenue to the Crown, with a yearly very great somme.  
5. How to establish the Purity of Religion there.  
6. And how the undertakers may with security be enriched.   
¶ Imprinted at London by Ed. Allde for john Budge, dwelling at the great South door of S. Paul's Church. 1610.   

TO THE MIGHTY and High renowned Prince, HENRY, Prince of great Britain, all happiness.  
Mighty and High renowned PRINCE, the fourth part of Ireland, depopulated ULSTER, but now redeemed, delivered and quite acquitted by the kings Majesties (your most loving Fathers) wonderful wisdom & industry, from the usurping tyranny of Traitors, & from a long & a most lamentable captivity: Despoiled, she presents herself (as it were) in a ragged sad sabled rob, ragged (indeed) there remaineth nothing but ruins & desolation, with a very little show of any humanity: of herself she aboundeth with many the very best blessings of God: amongst the other Provinces belonging to great Britain's Imperial Crown, not much inferior to any. Then regard her, for unto your Highness it belongeth chiefly to regard her.  
Fair England, she hath more People than she can well sustain: goodly Ulster for want of people unmanured, her pleasant fields and rich grounds, they remain if not desolate, worse.  
Would your Excellency with favourable respects, but countenance the Action, than the never-satisfied desires of a few, should not quite disgrace and utterly overthrow the good and exceeding good purposes of many, but with an excellent Plantation it would be Peopled plentifully, yea fortified and replenished with such and so many goodly strong Corporations, as it would be a wonder to behold: Without which it is not possible (for I say what certainly I know) so sufficiently to secure that wild Country any long time. The desire whereof hath carried (or rather violently drawn me to this presumption) I being a plain Countryman and one of the Undertakers in Farmannagh.  
If my endeavours may in any respect be so available; that fair successions, long posterity may at length behold her with security in some proportion beautified, than I shall be of many, the most happy, especially if your Highness shall give good acceptance to these my desires. The Almighty GOD of Heaven bless and preserve your Excellency still and evermore, with those his super-exceding graces.  
Your Excellencies most humble suppliant: Thomas Blener hasset.   

For the Plantation of ULSTER.  
EXcellent and High Renowned Prince, since such time as it hath pleased the Lord Treasurer to refer the Petition of M. Henry Honnings, unto the Irish Commissioners, for the undertaking of threescore thousand Acres of the Escheated Lands in the North of Ireland, to be planted by certain English Gentlemen, of which myself being one, considering the greatness of the Action, to satisfy myself I passed the Seas, and not far from the Lyfford I found that very worthy Gentleman, Sir Arthur Chichester, the King's Lord Deputy with other Commissioners, surveying those escheated Lands from the Church Lands, and from their Lands who have hitherto been loyal.  
I being there conversant with some of the chief Knights and Captains, desired of them to know the cause why they themselves were not forward to undertake those profitable seats and rich grounds: I was answered, that to build Castles and Forts was chargeable, neither then if there should be a Manor erected with twenty or forty Tenants, would they and it secure their goods: for although that Castle or Fort would serve for a sufficient refuge to preserve their lives upon any extremity, yet the cruel wood-kerne, the devowring Wolf, and other suspicious Irish, would so attend on their business, as their being there should be little profitable unto them. For an example: Sir Tobye Cawlfield he dwelleth in Charlemount a Fort of many other the best, and well furnished with men and munition: yet now (even in this fair calm of quiet) his people are driven every night to lay up all his Cattle as it were in ward, and do he and his what they can, the Wolf and the Wood-kerne (within caliver shot of his Fort) have often times a share: yet I do verily believe, no man keepeth better order, aswell for the safeguard of himself and his neighbours, as for the government of all those parts about him.  
The like I have observed in many other places▪ and to speak the truth, all men there in all places do the like, and that within the English Pale (as they a long time have called it) Sir john King he dwelleth within half a mile of Dublin: Sir Henry Harrington within half a mile on the other side thereof, Few men that ever I have seen better seated for much good Soil: they also do the like, for those sore named enemies, do every night survey the Fields to the very walls of Dublin, whatsoever is left abroad is in danger to be lost: so they cannot for the foresaid causes contrive any thing to much profit, although it hath been inhabited a long time.  
The consideration whereof satisfied me with the impossibility of planting a Mamnor under the protection of any strong built Castle; but after that I had travailed amongst the mere Irish, and had sufficiently informed myself with their conditions, their nature, and manner of life, I found it most certainly impossible by such kind of plantation to improve any thing with security, to any great profit, neither any with whom I conferred, would or could set down how with security any thing might be undertaken.  
Therefore the principal studd of this frame must be wrought with a tenor more substantial than hath been hitherto by any one mentioned.  
I acknowledge and see it sufficiently, that many Castles and forts well fortified, doth and will restrain the violence of such a scattered people as they are, being at this present altogether without men of conduct or armour, but I think those Castles & Forts more necessary in time of war; for then thereby the cattle of the Rebels are cut off, and they are enforced to unite themselves into many strong troops, otherwise the garrisons of those places would bereave them of all their victuals, and hinder their commerce, and all their other intentions whatsoever, for they cannot be strong enough at one instant in every place to encounter the force of those military garrisons, who are maintained at a great rate (as I think) out of the Exchequer: for these undertakers to plant themselves so in this time of quiet, I do verily believe it would be to small avail, and not the best way to secure themselves with their goods, and that wild country to the Crown of England; for although there be no apparent enemy, nor any visible main force, yet the wood-kerne and many other (who now have put on the smiling countenance of contentment) do threaten every hour, if opportunity of time and place doth serve, to burn and steal whatsoever: and besides them there be two, the chief supporters of all their insolency, the inaccessible woods, & the not passable bogs: which ot subject to our desires is not easy, and that not performed, it is not possible to make a profitable, improvement, no not by any means in any place.  
Moreover the frowning countenance of chance and change, (for nothing so certain as that all things are most uncertain) doth also incite a provident undertaker to lay such a foundation, as it should be rather a violent storm then a fret of foul weather that should annoy him. A scattered plantation will never effect his desire: what can the countenance of a Castle or Bawne with a few followers do? even as they at this present do: which is nothing to any purpose.  
What shall we then say? or to what course shall we betake ourselves? surely by building of a well fortified Town, to be able at any time at an hours warning with five hundred men well armed, to encounter all occasions: neither will that be sufficient, except that be seconded with such another, and that also (if it may be, as easily it may) with a third: so there will be help on every side, to defend, & offend: for as in England, if a privy watch be set, many malefactors are apprehended, even amongst their cups: so there when the spaces in the Woods be cut out, and the bogs be made somewhat passable, than these new erected towns intending a reformation, must often times at the first set a universal great hunt, that a sudden search may be made in all suspicious places, for the Wolf and the Wood-kerne, which being secretly and wisely appointed by the governors, they with the help of some Irish, well acquainted with the holes and holds of those offenders, the generality shall search every particular place.  
For an example, the fourth day of March, the Lyfford, the Omigh, they in Farmanagh, Donganon, and Colrayne, shall on that day send forth from every one of those places, an hundred men; which five hundred men shall as then make search in all, or in all the most suspicious places: and by being at one instant dispersed with furniture fit for such business, they shall discover all the Caves, holes, & lurking places of that country, even for an hundred miles' compass: & no doubt it will be a pleasant hunt, and much prey 
Hassets' Hunt.  will fall to the followers: for what doth escape some, will fall to the hands of others, and bring such a terror, that the wolf himself will not dare to continue his haunt, where such so sudden incursions shall be used, although it be but once in a month: the charge none, the pleasure much, the profit more: then may they make enclosures, & venture their cattle abroad, for to starve in the night doth overthrow the feed of the day, with the general improvement and chief profit, for the feeding of all kind of Cattle: then may they sow, mow, plant, thrive & be merry, for this kind of planting will not only supplant those domestical enemies, but there will be out of those towns five thousand well armed men, to encounter any foreign enemy, that shall offer arrival to invade, whereby his Majesty shall shortly have little need of those so chargeable garrisons: For these undertakers will easily restrain the mutinies of them at home, and confront the power of any invader whatsoever, and those good fellows in trowzes, I mean the every where dispersed creatures in the creates, seeing this course, they will no longer hearken after change, nor entertain the lurking wood-kerne, as now they do.  
Throughout all Ireland where there be Forts and garrisons in pay, if all those places were planted with this kind of undertaking, & the old worthy Soldiers, who in those places have garrisons in pay, with every one of their Soldiers, if they were rewarded with the fee simple thereof, to them & to their heirs, paying after one life yearly unto his Majesty a fee-farm, as the other undertakers do: but these Captains and Soldiers would have their pay continued, otherwise they shall not be able to proceed with the charge of planting, and then other lands there next adjoining laid also to such places, that many might join with them to erect corporations: which may be performed now ten times better cheap than it will be hereafter: their security would be much better, and the society far excel, & so the charge of the garrisons might be withdrawn, the old worthy warrior who hath gone already through with the brunt of that business, shall with a good satisfaction be rewarded, and all Ulster a whole hundred times better secured unto the Crown of England: for the generation of the Irish, (who do at this time increase ten to one more than the English, nay I might well say twenty) will never otherwise be sufficiently bridled: of all which I would satisfy your highness by an example.  
The Lyfford, whereas there be an hundred Soldiers in pay, (as is reported) which cannot come unto less than a thousand pounds yearly, and if there were in that kingdom many such, it would amount unto a great somme by the year, and many of them peradventure like this, able indeed a small time to withstand the first or second assault of a weak enemy. But if the Lyfford and the Lands adjoining near thereunto, were undertaken by many, their many helping hands (every man respecting his own profit) they would not regard charge, not be weary with labour and pains to frame a perpetual security, and good success to their business: and so there might out of doubt by that goodly river side, be laid out so much land, (besides the Governors and Soldiers allowance) as the undertakers would clear all that pay, and the like in many such other places: and give unto the Crown a hundred pounds yearly for a fee-farm for ever, which would rise in that kingdom, to every great mass, and the great charge of the garrisons withdrawn. I might say the like of the Omigh, of Dongannon, and of many such other places, and so there would be in stead of popery true religion; & a comfortable society, whereas at this present, there is small appearance and much defect of them, and of all other the chiefest things to make the life of man happy, only plenty of good victual excepted.  
How exceedingly well standeth Ardmath, better seat for rich soil there cannot be, but so poor, as I do verily think all the household stuff in that City is not worth twenty pounds, yet it is the Primate of all Ireland, & as they say for antiquity, one of the most ancient in all Europe: it is also of so small power as forty resolute men, may rob, rifle, and burn it: were it a defenced corporation it would soon be rich and religious, and the security would make one acre more worth than now twenty be. At this present it is a most base and abject thing, not much better than Strebane, & not able to restrain, no, not the violence of the Woolte. Moreover many be the commodities of this kind of undertaking a scattered plantation, for many undertakers to be dispersed three score miles in compass, alas they shall be now at the first like the unboundsticks of a brush faggot, easy to be gathered, hewn and had to the fire, neither shall there be true Religion, sweet society, nor any comfortable security amongst them, no, nor any other the principal respects and commodities that man's life desireth, as they who there now do live do know very well: but in one and the self-same estate for many to be bound up together in the band of one hope, so as all must be but one, It must be the power of some great Monarch, who receiving more blows than benefits, shall buy the unbinding of this faggot, at a much greater rate than will be for his gain or reputation.  
But some peradventure will say here is much speech of corporations, but nothing how the Lands which lieth far remote, which these undertakers must take up, shall be used, for it will be very inconvenient that unto this corporation all the commodities of that great quantity of ground shall be presently transported, both for the distance of the place, and other discommodities: and it is expected that there should be Manors erected, & not that one corporation should contain so great a circuit. My answer is, that the corporation shall contain all that quantity of ground, for when they therein have framed the country to their desires, than there shall be by these undertakers many Manors erected, and after the first or second year, most of the houses within this corporation built by these undertakers, (for every man according to the quantity of his land must put to his aid) although these houses shall be still their own, yet then, when the great hunts before mentioned, have reduced the country to such pass, as in the severalties of every man, their cattle may be in security, than most of those buildings in the corporation shall be left, and every man of the undertakers shall build on his demeans a strong Manor house, and certain Tenements for his Tenants about him, on such Lands as he shall allot them by copy of Court role, or otherwise, to them and their heirs for ever: and within the corporation, every one of the undertakers shall still retain his mansion house, there to dwell at his pleasure, and all the other of his houses there, shall be set over unto tradesmen; as Shoemakers, Smiths, Carpenters, Weavers, and such like: so in Summer he may remain with his tenants in the country, and in winter with his farmers the tradesmen in the corporation, which I hope to see a fair well governed and a very strong City, which will serve at all times to defend them and all their movables, if invasion or any other violent storm should come: so all the land far remote shall be built and inhabited with good security.  
On this word Mine is a strong warrior, every man for his own will adventure far, the Mercenary Rutter will often times have his charge empty with men, when his purse shall be full with dead pays. This my valiant and provident warrior Mine, he will rather increase then decrease his number, he doth watch and ward night & day without ceasing. Therefore in this our undertaking, let all the people be such as shall enjoy every man more or less of his own, and if they were such as had no other estate then there, it were the better.  
But I fear, if many shall peruse this recital, most of them will be utterly deterred with the charge, saying, it is easy to be spoken, but to their capacity very difficult to be performed, and so they will withdraw themselves & their conceits from embracing that which I would have them entertain cheerfully in the best fashion. Therefore I do incite them to consider, that all those great and sumptuous buildings which former ages have left unto everlasting posterity, were not erected any where, where continuance of peace had improved all things to a high rate and great price, but the original of all nations, was where and when the Lands and all the commodities of those places were of small worth. To enter into the particular hereof would be rather tedious then necessary.  
There be twelve of us under the assignation of the right honourable, Gilbert Earl of Shrewesbury, who intent by the help of almighty God to employ a good part of our substance, and bestow our best endeavours therein: for discoursing will not do it, it must be a painful hand, & a discreet mind furnished with knowledge and much experience: we cannot enjoy the happy Elysian fields, but by passing over the black river Styx: for heaven will not be had without some tribulation, neither may we feed upon the delicates prepared in a rich and pleasant banqueting Gallery, except we do strain our feet to pass upon the first & second stair: so difficult is the thing that we intent, Demidium toti, qui bene caepit, habet. If any thing seem difficult, rouse up thy spirit, and put to both thy hands. Great things without much labour can not be obtained: Rome was not built in one day, but this in five years may be performed without admiration, especially if all these planters do draw closely together without dissension, or mutiny: therefore there must especial regard be had, that in this corporation the chief Governor be of wisdom, wealth, and authority, such a one as will be obeyed, yet will confer with other, and not be too much addicted to his own conceits: without government there is nothing but confusion: so many heads so many opinions. Let all the undertakers have recourse unto the consultations, the meanest may sometimes bring forth a necessary knowledge, therefore let every man's opinion be heard, but let the Governor with his assistants determine, and let all the rest consent thereto, or endure condign punishment.  
And as for thee that puttest diffidence in the assurance, which thou shalt have from his Majesty, thou needest not trouble thy head therewith, there hath been already two surveys to know the parcels and precincts exactly: no doubt upon the division there will be proclamation, that whosoever can justly and apparently claim any part of those Lands to these undertakers by Patent assigned, he shall then within some convenient time put in his claim or else be silent for ever.  
So before thou dost charge thyself any way, thy portion shall be clear, or else thou shalt have some other that shall be void of all encumbrance.  
Furthermore, to comfort thy fearful spirit, there thou shalt have many good neighbours, for all they thy countrymen that are already there estated with part of those Lands, of which there be many of the chief in that kingdom, they are hearty well willers unto all undertakers, both for that your good proceedings will second, and as it were fortify their already beginnings: and they be indeed Gentlemen of such sort and quality, as they speak always what they think, and perform what they speak. They do not after the fashion of this age carry bread in the one hand and a stone in the other; but they have a sword always ready to maintain truth and equity; besides a very excellent course of proceeding by law: And to knit thy affection more firmly to the hope of thy well doing there, I do insure thee, there be excellent warriors, and they such worthy men as will willingly back thy business, & in time of need violently abate the violence of any that shall intent thy trouble: so Mars himself shall protect thee, & perhaps Mercury too: & if thou be'st honestly content with that which is thine, thou mayest there live and never trouble the Lawyer, and thou shalt find it to be a great blessing. All which I have written to encourage thy fainting spirit, which rather than fail will object the charges thither, and the danger, which is nothing so much as amongst good fellows it is, to be beastly drunk at home.  
To conclude, what art thou? one whom kindness, casualty, or want of wit hath decayed? make speed, get thee to Ulster, serve God, be sober, if thou canst not govern, be governed, thou shalt recover thyself, and thy happiness there will make thee rejoice at thy former fortunes.  
Art thou rich, possessed with much revenue? make speed without racking of rents, or other offensive means; thou shalt do God and thy Prince excellent service. Thou hast the three braided band which will bind Bears, use there thy talon, it will be quickly a million.  
Art thou a poor indigent fellow? and hast neither faculty nor money? go not thither, for though there be plenty of all things, thou shalt starve there, Loiterers and lewd persons in this our new world, they will not be endured. Art thou a Tradesman? a Smith, a Weaver, a Mason, or a Carpenter? go thither, thou shalt be in estimation, and quickly enriched by thy endeavours. Art thou an husband man, whose worth is not past ten or twenty pounds? go thither, those new Manor-makers will make thee a Copy holder: thou shalt whistle sweetly, and feed thy whole family if they be six for six pence the day. Art thou a Gentleman that takest pleasure in hunt? the Fox, the Wolf, and the Wood-kerne do expect thy coming: and the comely well cabbazed Stag will furnish thy feast with a full dish. There thou shalt have elbow room, the Eagle and the Earn and all sorts of high flying fowls do attend thee. Art thou a Minister of God's word? make speed, the harvest is great but the labourers be few: thou shalt there see the poor ignorant untaught people worship stones and sticks: thou by carrying millions to heaven, mayest be made an Archangel, and have whiles thou dost live for worldly respects, what not. So Ulster which hath been hitherto the receptacle and very den of Rebels and devowring creatures, shall far excel Munster, and the civellest part of all that country, and peradventure in civility and sincere Religion, equal even fair England herself, with a christian and comfortable society, of neighbourhood, & so they at the least 
* In all Ireland  three hundred thousand souls, besides Children (which are no less in number) may come unto the true knowledge of God, and by faith in jesus Christ may be freed from everlasting damnation. So the King's majesty shall be disburdened of a very great charge out of the Exchequer, the Country safely secured unto the Crown, and we his majesties subjects enriched by our endeavours, which God of his unspeakable mercy grant, for his dear son jesus Christ his sake. Amen.  

The Conclusion, containing an exhortation to England.  
Fair England, thy flourishing Sister, brave Hibernia, (with most respective terms) commendeth unto thy due consideration her youngest daughter, depopulated Ulster: not doubting (for it cannot but come unto thy understanding) how the long continuance of lamentable wars, have razed & utterly defaced, whatsoever was beautiful in her to behold, and hath so bereaved all her royalties, goodly ornaments, & well beseeming tires, as there remaineth but only the Majesty of her naked parsonage, which even in that plight is such, as whosoever shall seek and search all Europe's best Bowers, shall not find many that may make with her comparison. Behold the admirable worth of her worthiness! even now she gives the world to understand by testimonial known sufficiently to all that know her, that if thou wilt now but assist her with means to erect her ruins, she will nourish thee with much dainty provision, and so furnish thee, as thou shalt not need to send to thy neighbour-kingdomes for corn, nor to the Netherlands for fine Holland: she will in requital of thy kindness provide those things, with some other, such as thy heart most desireth. Art thou overchargde with much people? Ulster her excellency will embrace that thy overplus in her amorous sweet arms: she will place them as it were by Euphrates, and feed them with better Ambrosia than ever jupiter himself knew.  
Then proclaim, & let all the inhabitants of spacious Britain know, that (in respect even of their own good) it is convenient and most necessary that every one of them should in some proportion put to his assistance: didst thou, and were thy people indeed willing? with Horse, with men, with munition, and money, oftentimes, and ever anon to abate their insolency, whose pride sought to bereave from thee and them, your right and interest in her fields and forests? true it is, and some thousands, no doubt thou didst employ to keep her from the captivity of traitors: do then, and let thy people willingly finish the work which you so valiantly have (although not performed) yet brought to such pass as now there remaineth nothing but how to cover her nakedness, & to furnish her coasts with corporations and other such means, as hereafter there shall be no doubt of change or chance, but that she may repose herself in such sweet security, as her beautiful bosom shall by peace & plenty abound with so many dainty goodly things, as it will be a wonder to behold. Some of thy most loving and well-beloved children, to their great glory and everlasting renown, with fervent minds, they have taken this task in hand, thinking it no small honour for them to adventure their lives, their livings, and all their endeavours therein.  
The County of Farmannagh, sometime Mack Gueres country, rejoice: many undertakers, all incorporated in mind as one, they there with their followers, seek & are desirous to settle themselves. Woe to the Wolf and the Wood-kerne; the islands in Loughearne shall have habitations, a fortified corporation, market towns, and many new erected Manors, shall now so beautify her desolation, that her inaccessible Woods, with spaces made tractable, shall no longer nourish devowrers, but by the sweet society of a loving neighbourhood, shall entertain humanity, even in the best fashion. Go on worthy Gentlemen, fear not, the God of heaven will assist & protect you, the rather for that simply of yourselves, you do desire to perform so honourable an action. And they the successors of high renowned Lud, will there re-edify a new Troy. Their spacious coffers have the receipts of England's treasure, and the continual resplendancy of his majesties presence doth so illustrate with the never-discending-beames of his ever-respecting favour, their super-exceeding good, that all whatsoever by imagination may be thought of, or by policy of man be devised, so much absolutely have they from thence, therefore they will not capitulate the fresh and flourishing County of Colraine, with the exceeding bounty ol the Band that may suffice. They have Ocanes Country, 
The River of the Band.  and whatsoever Ireland's Eden can afford, and therefore even in respect of their own reputation, they of themselves will perform this the most honourable action that ever they attempted. Therefore let Colraine rejoice, for the heart of England (London herself) will no doubt make her more beautiful than many, and furnish Loughfoyle with a goodly fleet. O powerful England! no doubt if thou wilt extend the bounty of thy liberal hand, to other less able to perform such designs, than they also will undertake the other Counties, so as within three years their endeavours shall bring thee and thine altogether out of doubt, ever hereafter to be charged with any taxation for her defence: for certainly so she shall shortly be able rather to lend then to borrow aid.  
Let not then these kind undertakers want any kind of kindness. Little do many of thy inhabitants, care to spend a pound or two to pass away one hour (as it were) at a merry meeting; and presently it is forgotten. Let every one of worth give but his crown to this honourable intention and merry meeting, it shall remain as a crown of glory to everlasting posterity, and free every one of them peradventure from the expense of many pounds. And this Trophy of all thy triumphs the most renowned, obtained with the lives of many thousands of thine (as the every where dispersed skulls of slain men do there at this present manifestly declare) if it be now neglected, they thy next neighbours & those the Princes and people far remote, will suppose thee very poor both in power and policy. And thus (fair England) having laid before thy amiable eyes, how naked Ulster may be relieved, decked, and richly adorned, and thyself certainly disburdened of much charge: I refer the effecting thereof to the Kings most excellent Majesty, who hath power to command, and will no doubt provide for ulsters prosperity.  
FINIS.