Ireland Under The Commonwealth

Above : Illustrating Picture Of The Civil War

The Act for the settling of Ireland, which passed the English Parliament in August 1652, divided the inhabitants of Ireland into classes, according to the degree to which they were, or were supposed to be, implicated in the lately suppressed rebellion.

Above : Picture Of Sir William Petty

After her long struggle Ireland was absolutely exhausted. Of her population of millions, over 600,000 had perished by the sword or by famine. Few cattle remained of the once great herds, few sheep of the splendid flocks. The famishing people, especially the old and feeble, died in great numbers. Of the soldiers of the defeated armies, many went abroad and enlisted in Continental services. Numbers of young people, boys and girls, were seized by order of the Government, and shipped off to the West Indies or to the English colonies in North America, where they were sold as slaves.

Above : Portrait Of Cromwell

In November (1660) a ” Declaration regarding the Settlement of Ireland ” was issued by the King. He began by acknowledging the great services rendered to him by Irish officers and soldiers during his exile. He then went on to set forth the difficulty of reconciling the different interests in Ireland, and to mention the readiness which the army had displayed to help in his Restoration. Finally, he concluded by the announcement that, though in strict justice the soldiers and adventurers had no title to the lands which they held, yet he would yield to mercy and suffer them to retain them. The second part of the Declaration outlined the arrangements to be made.