Stephen had no great love of the English government in its dealing with Ireland; in fact he had actively conspired against it. But he was deeply attached to individual English men and women, and in any case he did not like anyone to abuse the country but himself.
Stephen held a strong disdain for the English government's treatment of Ireland and even took part in conspiracies against it. His political stance was clear, as he actively opposed the actions of the government he viewed as oppressive.
However, despite his animosity towards the government, Stephen had a genuine fondness for the English people on an individual level. He preferred that any criticism be directed at him rather than toward the...
