But his promise was soon forgotten, [623] His financial administration was of a piece with his military administration.

His one fiscal resource was robbery, direct or indirect.
Every Protestant who had remained in any part of the three southern provinces of Ireland was robbed directly, by the simple process of taking money out of his strong box, drink out of his cellars, fuel from his turf stack, and clothes from his wardrobe.

He was robbed indirectly by a new issue of counters, smaller in size and baser in material than any which had yet borne the image and superscription of James.

Even brass had begun to be scarce at Dublin; and it was necessary to ask assistance from Lewis, who charitably bestowed on his ally an old cracked piece of cannon to be coined into crowns and shillings, [624] But the French king had determined to send over succours of a very different kind.

He proposed to take into his own service, and to form by the best discipline then known in the world, four Irish regiments.