What political ideas did Edmund Spenser argue for in A View of the Present State of Ireland?

In his tract A View of the Present State of Ireland (1595–96), Edmund Spenser argued for a colonial theory of rule characterized by the implementation of firm, uncompromising measures to maintain order.1

Spenser advocated for the use of ruthless authority to govern the region, suggesting that gentleness should be reserved exclusively for populations that were completely submissive to English rule. His political perspective was heavily influenced by his service as secretary to Lord Deputy Arthur Grey, and he staunchly defended Grey’s drastic governmental methods against the more hesitant, temporizing approach favored by Queen Elizabeth I.1

Ultimately, Spenser’s work reflects the 16th-century English view of Ireland as a colony, where the imposition of English administration and the Church of England was frequently met with resistance from Irish chieftains and the Anglo-Irish nobility. His arguments provided a justification for the aggressive policies he believed were necessary to secure English control over the territory.1