Overview
A View of the Present State of Irelande is a 1596 pamphlet by English writer, poet and soldier Edmund Spenser. The text is written in the form of a dialogue between two Englishmen, Eudox and Irenius; the former has never been to Ireland, while the latter has recently returned from the island while it was in the midst of the Tudor conquest. Through the text, Spenser argued for employing scorched earth tactics to subdue Irish resistance to the conquest and criticised Ireland's culture, religion, language and legal system. The text was never published during Spenser's lifetime, though it was posthumously published by James Ware in 1633.
Background
In July 1580, English writer, poet and soldier Edmund Spenser travelled to Ireland serving under the command of the newly appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland, Lord Grey, to participate in the Tudor conquest of the island. Spenser served under Lord Grey alongside Walter Raleigh at the Siege of Smerwick. When Lord Grey was recalled to England, Spenser stayed on in Ireland, having acquired other official posts and lands in the Munster Plantation. During his time in Ireland, Spenser frequently discussed future plans to establish further control over the island. The Nine Years' War, an Irish rebellion against English rule led by Hugh O'Neill, confirmed in Spenser's eye that England's current approach in Ireland was not working. The work is partly a defence of Lord Grey's actions during his time in Ireland, as the Lord Deputy greatly influenced Spenser's thinking on Ireland.
Overview
The pamphlet depicts a dialogue between two Englishmen, Eudox and Irenius. Eudox has never been to Ireland, and expresses a mixture of curiosity and goodwill towards the Irish people. Irenius has recently returned from Ireland while it was in the midst of the Tudor conquest, and advocates for a scorched earth policy to subdue Irish resistance to the conquest:
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