Sir Oliver St. John, who had been ten years Master of the Ordnance in Ireland, owed his appointment in part to the rising influence of Villiers; but the advice of Chichester is likely to have been in his favour. His competence was not disputed, and Bacon was satisfied of his 'great sufficiency,' but many people thought he was hardly a man of sufficient eminence. He landed at Skerries on August 26, 1616, but his Irish troubles began before he reached Chester. The soldiers who were to accompany him ran away when they could, and a Welsh company broke into open mutiny. He was sworn in on the 30th, after a learned sermon by Ussher in St. Patrick's Cathedral, and then handed the Lord Treasurer's white staff to Chichester, 'who with all humility upon his knees received the same.' The new Lord Deputy found that there were many pirates on the coast who had friends in remote harbours, and that there was not money enough to pay the soldiers. Worse than this was the case of the corporate towns, where no magistrates could be found to take the obligatory oath of supremacy or the milder oath of allegiance which was voluntary in Ireland. St. John proceeded to carry out the law. Carew, who was not a violent man, and who was well informed as to Irish affairs, reported that 'over eighty' of the best sort of 'citizens' in Dublin and elsewhere were in prison. Jurors who refused to present known and obstinate Recusants were treated in the same way, and the prisons were filled to overflowing. Carew hoped that this course might be persevered in and the towns reduced to villages by revoking their charters. 'God,' he said, 'I hope will prosper these good beginnings, which tend only to his praise and glory, and to the assurance of obedience unto his Majesty.'[137] [Sidenote: Bacon advises a wary policy,] [Sidenote: but does not persuade St. John,] [Sidenote: who tries to enforce the oath of supremacy.]