We are now arrived at the reign of Henry the Seventh, by whom order was established in Ireland, as it previously had been established in England. [Sidenote: 1495. Poynings’ Act. 10 Hen. VII. cap. 4.] The first important measure towards the accomplishment of this object was the passing of Poynings’ Act,[9] _10th Henry 7th, cap. 4_, which directs that no parliament shall be holden in Ireland, until the Acts be first certified into England, and be thence returned with sanction of the king and council expressed under the great seal. This secured a harmony of action between the legislatures of the two countries, and was otherwise beneficial. But there were two other Acts passed in the same year, not less important for the peace and good government of the country than the preceding, and therefore requiring to be separately noticed. ----- [9] So called after Sir Edward Poynings, who was lord deputy in Ireland during a great part of Henry’s reign, and in the earlier part of that of his successor. The lord deputy is described as “the active scourge of all insurgents,” and it was latterly said of him that “he might call all Ireland his own.” See Liber Munerum, book ii. cap. 1. Mr. Lascelles gives 1494 as the year in which this Act was passed. In the Statutes at Large it bears the date of 1495. ----- [Sidenote: 1495. 10 Hen. VII. cap. 6.] The first of these Acts, _cap. 6_, directs that no citizen shall receive livery or wages of any lord or gentleman; and it further enacts “That no lord nor gentleman of the land shall retain by livery, wages, or promise, sign or token, by indenture, or otherwise, any person or persons, but only such as be, or shall be his officers, as baylifs, steward, learned counsel, receivors, and menial servants daily in household at the said lord’s cost.” And if any lord or gentleman retain any person contrary to this Act, both the retainer and he that is retained are to forfeit to the king twenty pounds of lawful money for every such offence. [Sidenote: 10 Hen. VII. cap. 17.] The second Act, _cap. 17_, directs “that no peace nor war be made with any man without licence of the governor.” It recites—“Forasmuch as diverse lords and great gentlemen of Ireland, useth daily to make several peace with the king’s Irish enemies, and where the peace hath been taken and concluded by the lieutenants and their deputies for the time being with the aforesaid enemies, and for the universal weal of our said sovereign lord’s true subjects, the said lords and gentlemen for singular lucor and for malice, have diverse and many seasons and without any authority of the lieutenant or deputy, entered into the countries of such Irish enemies as have standen under the protection of our sovereign lord, and the same countries have robbed, spoiled, hurt and destroyed, by reason whereof the said enemies have likewise entered into the English country, and the true English subjects have robbed, spoiled and brent in