The Plantation of Ulster.

Lord Deputy Chichester to the Earl of Salisbury 3rd October 1610
Cited in Old Belfast, Ed R.M.Young (1896

For the instrumentes of the Plantation, I meane the Brittysh Undertakers, those from England are for the most part plaine countrie gentlemen, who maye promise much, but geve unto us small assurance or hope of perforrninge what to a worke of such moment doth appertains.If they have monie they keepe it cloase, for hitherto they have disbursed but lyttle, and if I maye judge by the utter apparance, I conceive that the least trouble or alteration of the tymes here wyll scare most of them from us. It is sayd by themselves, that since the denomination of the parties att fyrst by the Lords that were Undertakers, some have exchaunged their portions, and others solde them outright. In one precynct of those that have appeared, two are Churchmen and one a youth of some 18 or 19 yeares olde, whose names I have noted in the sedule sent by Sir Olever Lambert.

The Scottysh came with greater part and better accompanied and attended; but it maye be with lesse monie in their purses; for some of the princypall of them upon their first entrance into their precynctes were forthwith in hand with the natives to supply their wantes, or att least their expenceis, and in recompence thereof do promise to gett lycense from His Matie. that they maye remayne upon their lands as tennantes unto them ; which is so pleasinge to that people that they wyll strayne themselves to the uttermost to gratifie them; for they are content to become tennantes to anie man, rather than be removed from the place of their byrth and education, hoping, as I conceive, att one tyrne or other to finde an opportunitie to cutt their landlords' throtes for sure I am they hate the Scottyshe deadly, and out of their malice towards them they beginne to affect the Englysh better than they have byne accustomed.

They sell awaye both corne and cattle, and when they are demanded why they do so, their aunswer is that they know not what else to do with them, nor to what place to carie them, the portion of land assigned to each of them beinge too lyttle to receive and feede the goods he hath for his own perticulare.

They seeke by all meanes to arme themselves, and have undoubtedly some peecies in store, and more pikes, and therof can make more dayly; but powder and lead is scars with them. I wyll do my best to prevent their revolte, but I greatly doubt yt, for they are infinitly discontented.

We are now all of us become buylders and planters here and not wasters and destroyers as in our younger yeares, an would gladly rest in quiett if our yll neighbours wyll permit us; and that makes us the more sudious to prevent their revolt, and to settle peace and quietnes amonge them.