Memoirs of Captain Rock [Pseud.]; The Celebrated Irish Chieftain. with Some Account of His Ancestors (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1824. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER X. Conversation between the Captain and a Spirit.-- Tithe systems in England and Ireland.--Differences between them.--Potatoes.-- Tithe -farmers.--Proctors.-"jiriosto. --Drivers.--Scale of the Irish Hierarchy.--Paying Tithe in kind.--Sinbad in the Valley of Diamonds.--New Tithe Bill.--Remarks on it. If a Spirit on his travels, like Micromegas, were to apply to me for information concerning this part of our planet, and I should tell him--" There is a class of men among us, set apart to instruct the people in religion, and to place before their eyes examples of piety and peacefulness. In order to qualify them for this mission, and give them, in their respective neighbourhoods, that popularity which is necessary to ensure its success, the Law empowers them to seize annually a tenth part of the produce of all the cultivators, however indigent, entrusted to their care. "As this annual depredation is seldom taken in good part, and sometimes even leads to bloodshed and rebellion, the time of the said teachers is almost exclusively occupied, in wrangling with their pupils, * and, occasionally, having them shot and hanged--in consequence of which, they have but * From a note on a speech of Sir Henry Parnell, in Cobbetl's Parliamentary Debates, it appears that, in the year 1807, there were in five counties in Ireland no less than 1a86 actions on cases connected with tithes; and in the Galway Advertiser of the 181I1 of October, 183a, we find the following article: --"At the cruarter-sessions at Gort, one tithe-proctor processed eleven hundred persons for tithes. They were all, or most, of the lower order of farmers or peasants: --the expense of each process about eight shillings." Anthony Pearson, in speaking of the law proceedings with respect to tithes, under the P...