According to Sir John Davis, in his letter to the first minister, Lord Salisbury, Tyrone could not be reconciled in his heart to the English Government, because ’he ever lived like a free prince, or, rather, like an absolute tyrant, there.  The law of England, and the ministers thereof, were shackles and handlocks unto him.’  He states that after the Irish manner, he made all the tenants of his land villeins.  ’Therefore to evict any part of that land from him was as grievous unto him as to pinch away the quick flesh from his body ...  Besides,’ the attorney-general added, ’as for us that are here, we are glad to see the day wherein the countenance and majesty of the law, as civil government, hath banished Tyrone out of Ireland, which the best army in Europe, and the expense of two millions of sterling pounds did not bring to pass.  And we hope his majesty’s happy government will work a greater miracle in this kingdom, than ever St. Patrick did; for St. Patrick did only banish the poisonous worms, but suffered the men full of poison to inhabit the land still; but his majesty’s blessed genius will banish all that generation of vipers out of it, and make it, ere it be long, a right fortunate island.’

Again, Sir Geoffry Fenton, writing to Salisbury on the same subject, says, ’And now I am to put your lordship in mind what a door is open to the king, if the opportunity be taken, and well converted, not only to pull down for ever these two proud houses of O’Neill and O’Donel, but also to bring in colonies to plant both countries, to a great increasing of his majesty’s revenues, and to establish and settle the countries perpetually in the crown; besides that many well-deserving servitors may be recompensed in the distribution; a matter to be taken to heart, for that it reaches somewhat to his majesty’s conscience and honour to see these poor servitors relieved, whom time and the wars have spent, even unto their later years, and now, by this commodity, may be stayed and comforted without charges to his majesty.’  This advice was quite in accordance with the views of the prime minister, who in a letter to Chichester said, ’I do think it of great necessity that those countries be made the king’s by this accident; that there be a mixture in the plantation, the natives made his majesty’s tenants of part, but the rest to be divided among those that will inhabit; and in no case any man is suffered to embrace more than is visible he can and will manure.  That was an oversight in the plantation of Munster, where 12,000 acres were commonly allotted to bankrupts and country gentlemen, that never knew the disposition of the Irish; so as God forbid that those who have spent their blood in the service should not of all others be preferred.’  It was because this idea of manuring, i.e. residence and cultivation, was carried out in Ulster, that the plantation has proved so successful.  But Davis would allow but small space comparatively to the natives, whom he