been deceived by the agents for the natives, he revoked his letter of January and informed Chichester that he might proceed with a plantation, but that owing to abuses on the part of those formerly concerned in the business Chichester himself was personally to see to the carrying out of it.
In December of the same year the King had received and considered Chichester's project, and transmitted for his consideration a scheme of his own.[1]
Noteworthy points in this scheme are that not many natives were to be made freeholders; that it was to be considered whether all or most of the natives should hold only for a term of years; and that lands now planted were not to be passed or sold to the natives. Furthermore it was suggested that 20,000 acres were not enough for the new settlers.
Chichester fell in readily with all the royal suggestions. The work of evicting the former owners and putting in the new ones was proceeded with.[2] But the scandal was so notorious that an investigation into the whole business was ordered to be made by the Commissioners sent over in 1613 to enquire into Irish grievances. The Report of the Commissioners gives a summary of the whole proceedings and some interesting statistics. They estimate the area at 66,800 acres, and say that the possessioners claim by descent after the custom of Irish gavelkind as
