So far three Peers agreed with the Irish Courts and three declared for the fishermen. The seventh member of the tribunal, Lord Ashbourne, steered a middle course. He avoided discussing the forged lease, and pronounced against restraining public right in Lough Neagh as a whole, but wished to confine the injunction to the northern part. This forced the Lord Chancellor to say that the sole question before the House was whether the entire lough, or none of it, vested in private hands. Lord Ashbourne was reminded that he must declare himself “content” or “non-content” when that question was put; and, so entreated, he reluctantly sided with the Plaintiffs. He added a plea that costs should not be awarded against the fishermen; but the other six Peers, thitherto equally divided, were united in the determination that his vote must carry its logical consequences. Accordingly, by one quavering voice, the appeal stood dismissed, and the felonies of three centuries were held law-worthy. The perfume of legality now sweetens the memory of the deeds of John Wakeman, Thomas Irelande, James Hamilton, Auditor Ware, Arthur Bassett, Arthur Chichester, Henry Cromwell, John Clotworthy, and Lord Donegall. Ermined innocence has arisen to bless their works. Spirits of grace garland their graves with wreaths of equity. In other words, the children of the clansmen, whose rights Brehon justice guarded for a thousand years, have fallen among thieves. When another national possession, the Curragh of Kildare, was subtracted from the people, the excuse of State policy was advanced, and Statute was obtained. Guile and wile sufficed to take in Lough Neagh. Public playgrounds are rare. Hence doth wisdom (lacking other present resource) lay up the ancient counsel:— “Let these things be written for another generation.” APPENDIX. TRANSLATION OF THE COMMISSION SIGNED BY CHICHESTER, 26TH JUNE, 1605, ON WHICH INQUISITIONS WERE HELD AT ARDQUIN, CO. DOWN, 4TH JULY, 1605, AND AT ANTRIM, 12TH JULY, 1605:—