glish money exchanged into Irish, and Irish money exchanged into Ength, at par; One pound English being One pound one fhilling eight pence Irith. 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 GAS GA 68 216 13 4 00 108 68 97 10 O S. S. d. 3 3 3456 78 9 10 II 4 5 6 O O O O O O O O 7 70 9 10 10 12 13 90 12ths. 27 13 10 0 20 18 9 23 о 208 3 I 414 1 8 620 7 2 828 8 10 9 4 7 I 9 8 6 I 3 5 3 17 5 8 1 9 18 6 7 I 7 37 3 2 8 d. I 4 12 32 IC 5 3 2 10 4 2 5 2 2 6 I ΙΣ 7 1 8. I 3 90 12 O 10 O 8 7 perhaps the like is not to be feen in any other part of the world. k as of a triangular fhape, and extends from the foot of a fteep hill re the fea, no body knows how far; but at low water the length of its 600 feet, or more, and of a confiderable breadth. It confits of marthoufand pillars, triangular, and fo on to octangular, mott of thes pentagonal and hexagonal, but all irregular, few of them having thez sides of equal breadth. Their fizes also are unequal, being from 16 to 26, but generally about 20 inches diameter; and the two siddes d the fame pillar are feldom equal in breadth; yet the fide of the nex contiguous pillar is equally formed. Every pillar has as many others joined round it as it has fides, except the outward ones, which thew one, two, or three faces to view. Some of them are much longer and higher than the rest, fome thorter, and more broken, iome for a pretty large space of an equal height, fo that their tops make an even and plain furface. None of the pillars confift of one entire stone, but each column is made up of feveral joints or pieces, of 12. 16, 18 inches, and fome even two feet long; not jointed together by flat surfaces; but when one part of the pillar is feparated from the other, one piece is always concave, and the other convex, joined to cach other in a kind of articulation. The vaft height of the trait jointed pillars, efpecially of the moft flender and molt perfect among them, is amazing, fome being 32, others 36 feet high above the frand: How far they reach under ground is not yet difcovered, though they have been traced 8 feet deep, without receiving fatisfaction as to the real depth. As to the properties of thefe pillars, and other partculars relating to them, the reader is referred to the Antiquities of Ire land, chap. 34. where he will find a more minute account of them, and of many other curiofities ftanding eastward and wellward of them. no less furprifing than thofe defcribed. Some wonderful things alenbed to Ireland by Nennius, a writer of the ninth century, and from him copied by Cambrenfis and others, are here omitted, becaufe moż of them, by experience, are found to be falfe, and fuch as carry any truth in them, are to blended with fable, that they are not worth repeating. Conflitution of government.] Since Ireland became fubject to the crown of England, the conftitution of the government there varies but little from that of the mother-country. The kings of England have always fent viceroys thither to adminifter the public affairs in the name, and by their authority, who, in different ages, have, in ther letters-patent and commitlions, been filed by divers names, as Ca or Keeper, Jufticiary, Warden, Procurator, Senejckal, Corpatie, jafice, Juftices, Deputy, and Lieutenant; all which names unport the farne thing in effect, namely, the administrator of the public juice, and affairs of the kingdom, under the authority, and by the commu.fion of the king, and were like the proconfuls of the ancient Ronas, The jurifdition and authority of thefe officers is ample and roval, yet modified by the terms of their commiflions; in fome retrained, and in others enlarged, according to the king's pleafure, or the exgencies of the times. When any chief governor enters upon this ho nourable ofice, his letters-patent are publicly read in the councilchamber; and, having taken the usual oath before the Lord Chan cellor, the sward, which is to be carried before him, is delivered isp A ha his hands, and he is feated in the chair of ftate, attended by the Lord Chancellor, the members of the privy council, the peers and nobles, the king at arms, a ferjeant at arms, and other officers of ftate. So that if he be confidered in regard to his jurifdiction and authority, or his train, attendance, or fplendor, there is no viceroy in Christendom that comes nearer the grandeur and majefly of a king. He has a council compofed of the great officers of the crown, namely, the Chancellor, Treasurer, (when in the kingdom), and fuch other of the archbishops, earls, bithops, barons, judges, and gentlemen, as his Majefty is pleased to appoint. When a chief governor dies, or his place becomes vacant, by furrender, or departure out of the realm without licence, the Chancellor iffues writs to the King's counfellors, in certain thires, to appear, and make an election of another, to ferve until the King authorize one, and he be fworn; and this is done by virtue of a ftatute made in the reign of King Henry VIII. As in England, fo in Ireland, the parliament is the fupreme court, which is convened by the King's writ, and prorogued or diffolved at his pleasure; yet, during the late reigns, they have been continued during the King's life; which is no diminution of his prerogative, fince his Majefty can call and diffolve them when he pleafes. Notwithstanding the prerogative is not injured by this continuance, yet it has never been remembered that a diffolution has taken place for the fatisfaction of the people, who, in all government, have an equitable right. This continuance of reprefentatives for life, (which may be fo termed without any great impropriety, from the age of the prefent King, whom God long preferve), has, of late years, been much refented by the people; and, in many places, made a ftipulated article, previous to election, that they fhould give their affiftance to a bill for the limiting of parliaments, as in England, which has every feffion lince been moved for in the houfe; and in the feffion of 1766, met with but one diffenting voice; fo that the bill, with others, was tranfmitted to England; the chief governor was waited upon with petitions from the moit refpectable of the citizens of Dublin; and at the countymeetings, the reprefentatives have been inftructed to give their attendance and countenance to its being carried into a law, and, as expreffed in fome of thefe addreffes, being convinced of its being neceffary, and the most effectual method to restore the conftitution to its primitive purity and vigour, as in early days they were not permitted to fit more than for one feffion. By the ftatute 10° Henry VII. chap. 14. commonly called Poyning's a, the legislature of Ireland received a confiderable alteration: For whereas before that act it confifled of the King, by his reprefentative, the chief governor or governors for the time being, and the Lords and Commons, it was now provided, "That no parliament be holden for "the time to come in Ireland, but at fuch feafon as the King's Lieu"tenant and council there do firft certify to the King, under the great "feal of that land, the caufes and confiderations, and all fuch acts as to them feemeth fhould pafs in the fame parliament, and fuch cau“fes, confiderations, and acts, affirmed by the King and his council, to be good and expedient for that land, and his licence thereupon, as well in affirmation of the faid caufes and acts, as to fuminen the "faid parliament under his great feal of England had and obtained; that done, a parliament to be had and holden after the form and ef "fect afore rehearsed. And if any parliament be holden in the "land hereafter, contrary to the form and provifion aforefaid, it "deemed void and of none effect in law." By this act the privy cou cils of the two kingdoms became branches of the legislature of Irelan which before confited only of the King, by his reprefentative, and the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons. A ftatute made in the 3d and 4th of Philip and Mary explains and enlarges Poyning's aft For as in that act the King's Lieutenant and council were the on perfons named to certify the acts neceffary to be paffed, and the caum and confiderations of holding a parliament, it was doubted, whether fuch a certificate from a Lord Deputy, Justice, or Juftices, or other chief governor, or governors and council, were fufficient within the terms thereof; it was therefore, by the faid ftatute of Philip and Mary, declared, “That the certificate of any of the faid chief governors and "council fhould be fufficient." And it was further provided, "That "after the fummons of every parliament, and during the feffions, fuch "chief governor, or governors, and council, may, under the great "feal, certify all fuch other confiderations, caufes, tenors, provifica, "and ordinances, as they fhall think good to be enacted; and upon "return thereof, under the great feal of England, fuch, and no other, "fhall and may país and be enacted in the parliament of Ireland, in "cafe the fame be agreed and refolved upon by the three eftates of the "parliament of Ireland." Now, fince these acts, laws take their firt motion either from the privy council of Ireland, or from either of the houfes of parliament; but they must be certified over by the council, and upon their return under the great feal of England, either the Lords or Commons have a negative to them. Parliaments thus conftituted make laws to bind the kingdom, and raise taxes for the fupport of the government, and for the maintenance of an army of 12,000 men, which are cantoned into barracks in feveral parts of the kingdom, and kept to a conftant difcipline, and from this excellent nur.cry are draughted into his Majesty's fervice, where ever his affairs require it. This parliament is conftituted (1766) of 4 Archbishops, 1 Mar quis, 53 Earls, 45 Vifcounts, 18 Bithops, and 37 Barons, (among whom are 6 Roman Catholics, who may qualify themselves to fit when they pleafe), and 300 members of the house of Commons. There are alfo in Ireland, as in England, four terms held yearly, for the dispatch of controverfies between party and party; and four courts of justice, namely, the chancery, king's-bench, common-pleas, and exchequer in the firit of which a fingle perion prefides, under the name of the King's High Chancellor, and Keeper of the Great Seal; in the king's-bench, and common-pleas, are a chief justice and two judges in each; and in the exchequer, the treafurer, the chancellor, chief baron, and two barons; and in all of them fubordinate officers. Here is also a court of exchequer-chamber, for correcting errors at law in the other courts; in which the Lord Chancellor, Lord Treasu rer, and Vice-Treaturer, prefide; and have for affillant judges the Chief Justices of the King's-Bench and Commen-Picas. There are alfo judges of affize and gaol-delivery, being thofe of the fupreme courts, who travel twice a-year into the feveral counties (cIcept that of Dublin) for the trial of prifoners, and fuits of Anji priar Letween party and party; as alfo a court of admiralty, which has ju rifdiction in maritime affairs, and is administered by commiffion from the admiralty of England. Befides these, there are spiritual courts, as the convocation, which used to be held at the fame time with the parliament; but has not been convened, I think, fince the year 1709; the courts of prerogative, where a commiffary judges of the eftates of perfons deceased, whether inteftate, or by will; and in every diocefe a confistory court, from whence appeals lie to the fupreme court of prerogative, and from thence to a court of special delegates appointed by the king There are alfo governors of counties, and justices of the peace, appointed by the King's commiffions, through the feveral counties, to preferve the peace where they refide, whofe power is grounded upon feveral ftatutes; and high and petty conftables, and other officers, inftituted for the fame end. But the chief officer of every county is the high fheriff, who was heretofore chofen in the county-court by the fuffrages of the people; but now is nominated by the chief go vernor. When to these we add feven commiffioners appointed by the King to manage his revenue, and other inferior officers for collecting and getting it in, together with 118 cities and corporate towns, we may fee how little the conftitution of England and Ireland differ. Τ Revolutions and memorable events. is a general opinion, that the first inhabitants of Ireland were colonies from Great Britain; which can scarce admit of a controverfy, as well on account of the near neighbourhood of Britain to it, from whence the paffage is eafy into Ireland, as from the language, rights, and customs, of the ancient Irith, between which and thofe of the ancient Britons there is a great analogy. TACITUS, in the life of AGRICOLA, gives the fame reafons why Britain was firft inhabited from Gaul. What gives a further countenance to this opinion is, that Ireland, in ancient times, was enumerated among the British iflands, and reckoned as one of them; to which PLINY, APULEIUS, DIODORUS SICULUS, and PTOLEMY, bear witnefs; and the latter of thefe writers places feveral tribes of people in Ireland, who bore the tame name with those in Britain. Thus the Brigantes, Coriondi, or Coritani, and Belge, are pointed out as inhabitants in different parts of Ireland; and people of the fame names may also be found in Britain. The first colony that affumed the regal title in Ireland, were called Firbalgs, or Viri Belga, i. e. Belgians, who are, with great probability, fuppofed to come from the Belge of Britain, who were inhabitants of Soinerfetfhire, Hampshire, Wiltfhire, and the ifle of Wight; and thofe British Belgians are fuppofed to come from the Belge, a people of Gaul, They are faid to have fettled in Ireland, and to have established fome form of government in the year of the world 2657, which they ruled thirty-feven, fome more probably fay eighty years, under nine Kings. The Belgians were difpoffeffed by the Tuath-de-Danans, or Dañonians, a people alfo from Britain, in the year of the world 2737, whe governed Ireland for 197 years, during the reigns of nine monarchs; when |