The author is a Presbyterian planter from Scotland who was given 1,500 acres of land in county Tyrone as part of the Ulster Plantation established by King James I. The plantation brought Protestant settlers from Scotland and England to Ireland in order to establish a loyal Protestant population, generate revenue through rents, and displace the Gaelic Irish population. As an undertaker, the planter is responsible for meeting conditions like building a stone enclosure and is prohibited from having Gaelic Irish tenants. While the plantation has successfully spread English culture and Protestant religions, the Gaelic Irish still pose a threat through occasional attacks from hiding places in forests and hills, risking an uprising against the plantation's success.