AN GAODHAL.
45
SEANMHÓIR GHAODHALGE.
Leis an Athair Urramach P. I. Ua Cui¬
nibh i d-Teampull Naoimh Alphonsuis,
Eobhrach Nuadh, Oidh'l Pádhruic, 1895.
(Leanta.)
Na dlighthe sgiúrsacha so, cuireadh ar
bun iad anaghaidh Coitiliceach na hÉir¬
eann le linn an tíoránaigh, an t-ochtmhadh
h-Aanraoi a mhic Éamoin, a inighne mí-
dhlisteanaigh, a d-tugthar Elisabet uirri
(Bettigh na muice), an treas Éamoin,
Uilliaim & Anna, na Seoirsidh, & go h-
áirighthe, an sgriosadóir, Olibher Cromil
An cheud dlighe sgiúrsach, bainean sé
le sgrios na h-Éireann. Bhí an dlighe
so 'san am ceudna mar dhíoghaltus ar
an tír, & ar mhódh go m-brisfidhe spior¬
aid na n-daoineadh le ocrus & le gort¬
a. Leis an t-slighe sin in a g-cómhair,
bhochtaigh an námhaid Protestúnach muin¬
tir na h-Éireann go h-uile, ag deunadh
slaid ar a n-eudáil & ar a maoin. Is
fíor seo go h-áirighthe i d-taobh a d-tal¬
mhan a bhí leis na ciantaibh i seilbh na g-
Catoiliceach. Sgriosadh iad chómh-mór
sin faoi h-Aanraoi & a inghin mí-dhlist¬
eannaigh, Bettigh na muice, ’s ná'r fágadh
acu ach seachtmhadh cuid na talmhan & in
a dhiaigh sin, faoi chaithréim Chromail,
baineadh díobh mar an g-ceudna an beag¬
án beag sin. Faoi 'n sgiúrsa sin níor
fágadh ceart ar bith ag an gCatoiliceach,
ach amháin le cead na b-Protestún. B'
fhéidir le Éireannach leus [coingiol] aon
bhliadhain deug a's fiche d'fhághail ar ghabh¬
altus talmhan dá n-deunfadh an coig¬
chrigheach Sacsan sin a thabhairt dhó, ach a
g-comhnuidhe — bocht dá rabh an connradh
so — ní fheudfadh an Caitiliceach an
fheilm sin do fheabhasughadh go deo níos
mó ná tríomhadh cuid de 'n chíos ; ní
fheudfadh sé teach breagh a chur suas nó
nidh ar bith eile dóigheamhuil a dheunadh
ar an áit, mar dá n-deunfadh sé sin,
do réir an dlighe sgiúrsaighe sin, dob'
fhéidir le rópaire ar bith Protestúnach
a theacht & é chur as a theach gan pighinn,
gan sásadh. Cia 'n choir a rinne sé gur
Translation.
These scourging laws were enacted
against the Catholics of Ireland in the
reign of the tyrant Henry VIII., his
son, Edward, his illegitimate daughter
called Elizabeth (Betty the swine) Ed¬
ward III., William and Ann, the Geor¬
gies, and particularly, the devastator,
Oliver Cromwell.
The first scourging law pertains to
the spoliation of Ireland. This law
was at the same time as a vengeance
on the country, and in a form to break
the spirit of the people by hunger and
famine. With this condition before
them, the Protestant enemy empover¬
ished all the people of Ireland, robbing
them of their goods and means. This
was particularly true concerning their
land, which had been for ages in the
possession of the Catholics. They were
despoiled to such an extent under Hen¬
ry and his illegitimate daughter Betty
the swine, that only the seventh part
of the land was left to them, and after
that, under Cromwell's reign, that lit¬
tle was taken from them in like man¬
ner. Under that scourge, no right at
all was left with the Catholic, but on¬
ly at the will of the Protestant. An
Irishman could obtain a farm of land
for 31 years if the foreign Englishman
willed it, but always — poor as this con¬
cession was — the Catholic could not
hold that holding for ever, nor more
than a third part of the rent; he could
not build a fine house or any other
handsome thing on the place; for if he
did that, according to the despoiling
law, any knavish Protestant could
come and put him out of his house
without a penny or satisfaction. What
crime did he commit that he was put
out of his own humble shelter? He
committed no crime but that which St
Peter committed when he was put to
death, namely, that he was a Catholic.
Under and by the order of the unfor¬
tunate Henry, six hundred monaster¬
ies were despoiled together with all the
