My thesis in preparation for Dr. Hardin's seminar confronts ES and his
fickle sentiments toward Ireland. I have been most intrigued in aligning
Talus with Sir Richard Bingham, and in turn, the poet with this decidedly
'saluage' player in Irish colonial history. The aforementioned
agricultural implications of this 'flail' purvey the 'View.' "Even by the
sword; for all these evills must first be cut away by a strong hand, before
any good can bee planted, like as the corrupt braunches and unwholesome
boughs are first to bee pruned, and the foule mosse cleansed and scraped
away, before the tree can bring forth any good fruite" (93). I am inclined
to infer from this that the civil servant within ES sought a more evenly
balanced island via something of a purge.
I hope to find more in regard to Christopher Highley's admitted stretch
from Talus to Bingham. As Da Paor writes, "When the Scots re-entered
Connacht. . .under Donald MacDonnell, Bingham slaughtered 2000 of their
men, women and children in Co. Mayo" ('Peoples of Ireland,' 153). I, too
wish to locate the origin of his moniker: "flail of Connaught," and
whether or not it precedes ES' rendering of Talus.
Cheers,
Michael Schaumann
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