449495
The intended Report of yethe Councell of Trade
to his ExcieExcise yethe Lord Leiut.Lieut.tenant + Councell of Ireland
In obedience to yoryour LoppsLordships Act of Councell dated IJanuary 20th:
1627 wee have spent severall dayes in Considering how as well
the welthwealth of this kingdome in generall as yethe money thereof in
perticulerparticular may bee encreased, and in Order thereunto have first
sett downe to yethe best of our knoledgeknowledge yethe State of this kingdome in
Reference to trade. Secondly wee have noted such Inferences
from yethe Same, as doe shew yethe sevrallseverall Causes of yethe Smalene
of Trade want of money, and yethe generall Poverty of this NaconNation;
And in the last place wee have offerred such generall Remedies,
and expedients in yethe inspective Causes as may be obtained and
practized wthwithout any new law to bee made in Ireland. And wee
are ready soe to enlarge upon yethe Branches Wee have offerred as to
make such of our Proposalls practicable as yoryour LoppsLordshipps shall
pl
March 25th. 1673
Consideracontions relation to yethe Improv
of Ireland. The State of Ireland in Reference
The state of Ireland To trade in reference to Trade.
1 The whole territory of Ireland consists of about 12 millions
of Acres English measure of arrable meadow, and good Pasture
land, wthwith about two millions of Rocky Boggy, and Scrubby pasture
comonlycommonly called unprofitable, though not altogether such, the
rest being
and high wayes:– of all wchwhich SevrallSeverall Lands the yearly Rent
is supposed to be about 900: thousand pounds and worth to be
purchased nine Millions
2 The valethe houseing Iin Ireland wch:which have one or more
Chimneys in them (excluding all chwhich have none) is supposd
to be towo Millions and an halfe
3 The Cattele and live Stocke 3 Millions
4 Corne Furniture Merchandize, Shipping &: about one million
5 The Coyned and currant money now runnning in Trade is between
300 and 250: thousand pounds or of yethe value of yethe whole kingdome wchwhich wee supposed to about 16 Million
6 The number of people in Ireland is about 11: hundred thousand vizt. 300 thousand Protestants and 800 thousand Papiests, whereof are Children unfitt for labour, Half of the Remainder and about 75 thousand of yethe remainder are by reason of their Quality, and estates, above the necessity of corporall Labor, Soe as their remaines 750 thousand laboring men and woemen 500 thousand whereof doe performe yethe prresent work of yethe natonion.
7 The Said 1100 thousand wchwhich have but one all people doe above live in about 200 thousand Families or houses where of therthere are but about 16 thousand wchwhich have more then one Chimney in echeach and about 24 thousand wchwhich have but one all yethe other housing being 160 thousand are wrecht nasty Cabbins wthwithout Chimney window or dore shutt and worse then those of yethe Savage Americans and wholy unfitt for yethe making of merchantable Buttr.er Cheese or yethe manufacturies of wollen or leather.
8 The houses wthwithin yethe Cittyes and liberties of Doublin are under 4 thousand viz in yethe Citty 1150 and yethe ale houses wthwithin yethe same about 12: hundred and it seems ytthat in other Corporations and Country tounes the proporcotion of ale houses is yet greater in Doublin viz of yethe whole.
9 The Countys hath been found Barronys and parishes of IrlandIreland
Aare now become marvelous unequall soe as some are twenty times as bigg as others The County of Corke seeming in respect of parishes and people to be of yethe whole kingdome and in other Counties not being above th part of yethe County of Corke it hath been found very difficult to gett fitt persons for Sherriffs and Iurys and yethe often houlding of assises and quarter sessions in yethe said small Countyes hath been found an unneessary burthenburden upon them
10 There are now in IrlandIreland 32 Counties 252 Barronyes and 2278 Parishes soe as yethe number of Sheriffes and Sheriffe Bayleffes high and petty Constables are about 3: thousand persones whereof not a bove are english or protestants soe as yethe Remaindrer (about a bout 2700) are Ireish papists, and are yethe Civill Militia of this kingdome and have executeing of all decrees of Courts and In of Iustices of peaces warrant.
11 This Civill Militia and yethe rest of yethe Irish Papists being above 800 thousand are Influenced and guided by about 3 thousand preistspriests and fryers and they governd by theire Bishopps + Superiours who are for yethe most part of yethe old Irish gentry, men of forreign Education + who depend upon forraigne Princes + Prelates for Beneficies and Preferments.
12 The Irish Papiests (besides Sundays and the 29: Holy dayes appoynted by yethe law) doe one place wthwith an other observe a bout 24 days more in yethe yeare in which they doe noe Corporatt labour Soe as they have but a bout 265 d6ays 266 working days whereas Protestants not Strictly observing all yethe legall Holy days by a totall forbearing of labour have in effect 300 working dayes in yethe yeare that is 34 days more then yethe papists or at least 5 weekes of 6: ofDayes in each or part of yethe whole yeare.
13 The expence of yethe whole people of Ireland is a about 4 millions ꝑper Annum yethe 50th part whereof being 80 thousand pounds and yethe quarter of annuall house Rent being a abouet 60 thousand pounds together wth.with 450: thousand pounds more being the value of halfe a years Rent Tyth and quittrent doe make 590 thousand pounds as ytthat summme of money wchwhich will compleatly + plentifully desire yethe trade of this kingdome
14 The value of yethe ComoditiesCommodities exported out of Ireland & yethe fraight of yethe Shipping Imployd in yethe trade of this naconnation together with yethe fishing of herrings is aabout 500 thousand pounds ꝑper annum.
15 The value of yethe Castle (vizt Estates in Ireland of such persons as doe usualyusually live Iin England yethe IntrestInterest of dbe debt of Ireland due and payable to England, the pay of yethe forces of IerlandIreland now in england, yethe Expence and pensions of agents and Sollicitors Commmonly residing Iin england aabout Irish Affaires, The expence of english and Irish youth now upon yethe Education beyond yethe seas and lastly yethe supposed Proffitt of yethe two great Farmes now on Foot doe altogether make up near 200 thousand pounds ꝑper Annum as a debt payable to England oOout of Ireland.
16 The value of yethe Cattle (vizt: hine oxon and Sheep) carryded out of IerlandIreland Iinto England was never more then 140 thousand pounds ꝑper Annum the Fraight, hides Tallow and wooll of yethe Sayd hine cattle were worth abouet 60 thousand pounds of yethe Sayd 140
thousand
Tthousand pounds and yethe value of the good Imported out of england into IrlandIreland (when yethe Cattle Trade was free) was between treble + quadruble to yethe neate value of yethe one and SheeppsSheeps Flesh or transported from hence into England
The Customs of exported + Imported Goods between England + Ireland abstracted from yethe excise thereof was in yethe first Trade a about 32 thousand Pounds ꝑper Annum.
Inferences from yethe Premisses.
1 By Compairireing yethe extent of yethe tTerritory, wthwith yethe number of yethe people it appeares ytthat Ireland is much under peopled for as much as there isare a above 10 Acres of good land to every head in Ireland, whereas in England, and France these are but 4, and in Holland Scarce one.
2 If there be 250 thousand space hands capable of Labour who can earle 4: or 5li: ꝑper Annum one with annother. It follows ytthat yethe people of Ireland well Imployd may earn one million per Annum more then they doe now wthwithin more then yethe years Rent of yethe whole Country
3 If an house wthwith stone walls and a Chimney well covered and halfe an aceracre of land well ditched a about, may be made for 4 or 5li or there a aboutes then of yethe Spare hands of IrlandIreland can in one years time, build and fitt upp 160 thousand such houses and Gardens in Stead of yethe like number of yethe wretcht Cabbins a above meentiond And that in a time when a forraigne Trade is most dead and obstructed + when money is most scarce in yethe land.
4 The other third part of yethe Said Spare hands wthwithin yethe same years (besides yethe makeing of Bridges Harbours Rivers High ways &c more fitt for Trade) are a able to plant as many fruite + timber Trees + + also quick sett hedges as being grown upon would distinguish yethe bounds of lands beautify yethe Country shade and shelter Cattle furnish wood, Fuell Timber + Fruit in a bettrer manner then ever was yet known in Ireland or England + all this in a time when trade is dead + money most scarce.
5 In yethe Gardens belonging to yethe cabbins before mentionned and planted wthwith hempe, and flax according to yethe present statute would grow 120: thousand pounds-worth of yethe said ComoditiesCommodities, yethe manufacture where of as also of yethe well and Hydes non exported would by yethe labour of yethe spare hands a above menntiond amount too a about one million ly yethe labour
ꝑper Annum more then att prresent.
6 The multitude and proporcotion of ale houses aabove menciotiond is a Signe of want of Imployment in those that buy buy no lesse then those ytthat sell yethe drinke
7 There being aabove 2: thousand Papists in Ireland and little aabove 2: thousand parrishes of it it is manifest that 500: PreistsPriests may in a Competent measure officate for yethe said number of People & Parishes, And ytthat two papish Bishopp if any at all be nessesarynecessary may as well governe yethe Said 500 Priests, and 2 thousand parishes as the 26 Bishops of England doe govern yethe near ten thousand Parishes.
8 If yethe Protestants according to yethe prresent practice & understanding of yethe law doe worke one tenth ppart of yethe year more then yethe papists and yetthat there be 750000 working people in Ireland where of aabout 600 thousand papiestspapists: it follows ytthat yethe papish religion takes off 60 thousand workers wchwhich att about 4li ꝑper Annum each is about above 250 thousand pounds per AnuumAnnum of it Selfe besides the maintenance of 25 hundred superfuoussuperfluous Churchmen wchwhich att 20li ꝑper Annum each, some to 50 thousand pdspounds ꝑper Annum more.
9 If t The sherriffs of Ireland att 100li ꝑper anumannum yethe Constables att 10li ꝑper AnumAnnum each being all English protestants (wchwhich some incident Charges for yethe adminstrationadministration of Iustice may be sallaviated + defrayd for thirty thousand pounds ꝑper annum consistent wthwith his matiesmajesties present Revenue, Forces, &c: wchwhich Sayd SSalarys may also bee lessend by uniting some of yethe Smaller Counties, Barronys and parishes according to yethe proporiotions of people Inhabiting wthwithin them
10 If there be not 350 thousand pounds Coyned money in Ireland, and if 590: thousand pounds (or neare double wtwhat there now is) be requisite to drive yethe trade thereof of then it follows ytthat there is not money enough in Ireland to drive yethe Trade of yethe nacionnation.
11 If the lands of Ireland + housing in CorporacionsCorporations be worth above 10 Millions to be now Sold and if lesse then one million of Stocke will drive all all yethe trade afore mentioned that Ireland is capeablecapable of (reckoning but towo returnes ꝑper annum) it is certaine that the Clearest part of yethe sdsaid 10 millions worth of reall Estate being well contrived in a banke of Creditt will with yethe Cash yet remaining a abundantly answer all yethe ends of
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of domesticke Improvements Improvements + forraigne trafique whatsoever.
12 If yethe whole substance of Ireland be worth 16 Millions as a bove Said, if yethe Customs between England + Ireland were never worth aabove 32: thousand pounds ꝑper anumannum if yethe titles of estates in Ireland be more hazardous experience for ytthat England + IrlandIreland are not undr.er one legisslative Power; If IrlandIreland till now hath been a Continuall Charge to england, If ytthat Reduceing ytthat late RebelionRebellion did Cost england 3 times more in men + money then yethe Substance of yethe whole Country when reduced in worth if it be Iust that men of English Birth & Estate Living in in Ireland should be reprresented in yethe Legislative Power, And ytthat yethe Irish should not be Iudged by those who they pretend doe usurp their estates it then seems Iust + Convenient, that both King domes should be united + Govern by one Legislative Power, nor is it hard to Shew how this may be made practicable, nor to Satisfie repaire, or silence those who are Interestd or affected to yethe Contrary
13 In yethe mean time it is wonder full ytthat men born iIin England, who have lands granted to them by ytthat king for service done in Ireland to ytthat crowne of England, when they have occsionoccasion to reside, or negotiate in in england should by theire Country men kindred + + friends there bee debarred to bring wthwith them out of Ireland food thence whereupon to live, nor sufferd to bring such commodities as they fetchd from America, directly home but round aabout by England wthwith extream hazard and losse + be forced to trade only wthwith strangers + become un acquainted wthwith theire own Country Especially when England gaineth more then it looseth by a free commerce as exporting hither three times as much as it receiveth from hence in soe much as 95li in England was worth about 100℔ of ytthat like money in Ireland in ytthat free kind of Trade.
14 It is conceived ytthat aabouet of ytthat Imported manufatctures might be made in Ireland and of ytthat Remainder mghtmight be more conveniently had from forraigne
parts then out of England, and Consequently ytthat it is Scarce necessary att all for Ireland to receive any goods of England, And not Convenient to receive from thence of yethe whole, wch:which it needeth to Import above yethe value twhere of is under 100 thousand pounds ꝑper anumannum.
The application of the prremisses in order to remedy the defects + Impediments of the Trade of Ireland.
1 For as much as yethe Consideracation of raysing money hath already + for lately been before yoryour Lopps:Lordships therefore wthwithout giveing this Board any further trouble concerning yethe Same wee humbly offer in order to yethe reguatlation of yethe severall species therofthereof that where as weighty plate peecespieces, together with Duccatoones (wchwhich wee estimate to be three three quarters of yethe money now currant in Ireland) doe already passe at proportionnable rates and for that all other species of Silver money are neither raysedrated proporrtionable to yethe Said weighty PeecesPieces nor to one another, That whole halfe and quarter Cobbs of sterling Silver if light may passe att Sfixve shillings shillings & Silver as yethe perrues &c: may passe as acommmodyity or att five shillings per ounce until there shall be a conveniency for new Coyning thereof into smaller money.
2 That forth-with applicatation may be made into England to restore trade for yethe plantations + between yethe two kingdoms (+ particularyparticularly ytthat of Cattle) as here-to-fore, + in yethe mean time to discover + hinder by llownace to discover + hinder by all meanes possible ytthat carringcarrying of Bullion out of Ireland Iinto England, to yethe end ytthat those in england who use to receive moneys from hence may be necessitated to be very earnest in yethe Sayd negotiation
3 That endevours be used in England for yethe union of yethe two kingdoms under one Legislative Power proportionably as was heretofore + Succesfully done in yethe case of wales.
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4 For Reduceing Interest from ten to five or Six ꝑper scent, for disposing moneyed men to be rather merchants then usurers, rather to trade then purchase and to prevent yethe bad, and uncertaine paymts.payments wchwhich Gentle men are forced to make unto Tradesmen whose Stocke + Creditt is thereby soon buriyed in debts not to be recovered wthwithout long & expensive suites that a banck of Land bee forth wth.with contrived + countenanced
5 That yethe act of s statestate wchwhich mitigates + compounds for yethe Customs of some forraigne Goods (purposilypurposely made high to hinder thieretheir Importations att least before it to be renewed. & to to encourage the manufacture of them here) bee taken again into consideration at least before it be renewed.
6 That yethe Lord Leiut.Lieut.tenant and Counccell as also the nobility, Courts of Iustice and officers of yethe armey, and other Gentlemen in and about Doublin may by their engagement, + example discountenances yethe use of some certaine forrainge Coorourmommodities to be pitched upon by yoryour LoppsLordshipps: And ytthat yethe Gentle men + free holders in yethe Country at theire assizes and, other Country meetings and yethe Inhabitants of all Corporatioons, who live in houses of above 2two Chimneys in each may Afterward afterwards doe yethe same.
7 That there be a corporatiation for yethe navigation of this kingdome, + ytthat other societys of men, may be Instituted, wh shall undertake, + give security to carry on the sevrallseverall trades + manufacttures of Ireland, and to see ytthat all goods exported to forraigne Marketts be faithfully wrought + packt wchwhich Societys may direct themselves by ytthat many SevrallSeverall proposalls and reports formerly + of late made by ytthat Councilll of Trade, and wchwhich the are now a againe ready to enlarge + accomodateaccommodate to ytthat said sevll:severall purposes respectively + more particularly to ytthat manufactures of Linen woollen + LetherLeather.
8 That ytthat Corporationns of Ireland may be obliedged to engage now manufactures according to thiertheir primitve Instrucctions wchwhich was to carry on such grerat works by exceeding ytthat strength of single persons + particularly that they may cause some such like proporcctions of
Yarn Linen, and wollen as also of worsted to be spun as mr Hawkins hath propounded.
9 That the patents wchwhich hinder ytthat working of mines may bee Considered.
10 That ytthat Iustices of peace may be admonished to protect ytthat Industrious and not suffer their labours to be Interrupted by vexations + frivelous Indictements.
11 That the Inhabitants of ytthat wretched Cabbins in Ireland may be encouradgedged to reform them and also Compelld therunto, as an easy + Indulgentent comimmitting for ytthat penalty of nine pence ꝑper Sunday payable by the Estate Statute, and likewise, to make Gardens, at ytthat estate Statute for hempe and flaxx reuqires, And ytthat other yethe Laws agt:against Idlers, Vagabonsds &c: may be applyed to yethe prevention of BeggeryBeggary and TheiveryThievery whereunto the orderly disposing of yethe said Cabbins into town ships would also Conduce.
13 That yethe exorbitant number of Popish PreistsPriests and Fryars may be Reduced to a bare Competency, as also yethe number of Ale houses.
14 That yethe Constables and Sherriffes Bayliffs may also be English protestants though upon Sallary.
From all wch.which and from yethe settlement of Estates it is to be hoped ytthat men seeing more advantage to live Iin Ireland then then else where may be Invited to to remove themselves thither, and soe Supply yethe want of people yethe greatest + most fundamentall Defect of that kingdom.
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Certaine generall Rules collected concerning money and Bullion out of yethe late consultationon att Court in a speech made by SrSir Thomas Roe att yethe Councell Table 1640
Go and Silver have a totwo fold Estimaction, Inin yethe extrinsique value, as they are moneys and princes measure given to their People of trade and this is a Prerogative of kings: or in the Intrinsique as they are ComoditesCommodities valueing each other according to their Plenty or Scarcity, and soe all other Commmodities by them and this is yethe sole powrer of Trade.
Thise mmeade ysuree lord Trer in a kingdom ought to be Constant. It is yethe Iustice, and honor of the king, for if they be altered all men att ytthat time are deceived in their prsent foprecedent Contracts either for lands or moneys, and yethe king most of all. For noe man knoweth either wtwhat he hath or what he oweth.
This made the Lord TrererTreasurer Burleigh in in anno 1573 (when Some Projectors had sett on Foott a matter of that nature) to tell them yethe they are were worthy to Suffer death, for attempting to put soe great a dishonor upon yethe Queen + Detriment on+ discontent on yethe people for to alter this publique measure is to leave all the marketts of the kingdome unfurnished + what will be yethe mishchiefe the proclamattions of yethe 5th. + 6th: of Queen Mary and 4th and of Eliz: will manifest, when but a rancor
produced that effect soe farr, ytthat besides yethe faith of those Princes to yethe Contrary dlivered in theire Edicts they were iInforced to cause yethe Magistrates in eveyevery Shire respectively to Con strayne yethe people to furnish the marketts to prevent a mutiny.
To thinke then this measure att this time Short is to Raise all Prizes or to tune the measure or money now currant into disuse + Bullion, Sfoer who will ꝑt.part wthwith any, when it is by sven more in yethe hundred in yethe masse then the new moneys + yet of noe more value in yethe markett.
Hence yethe necessity of it will follow ytthat there will not atof a long time be minted of yethe new moneys Sufficient to drive yethe exchange of yethe kingdome, and soe all trade att one Instant instant will be att a Stand, + in yethe mean time yethe markes unfurnished, and thus farrarr asas moneymoney inis a measure.
Now as Commmodity it isis respected + valued by the Intrinsique quality + first yethe one mettall to yethe other.
All comoditiescommodities are prized by plenty or scarcity by dearnesse or cheapnesse yethe one to yethe other. if If then wee desire our silver to byuy gold as it hath lately been we must lett it be yethe cheaper + lesse valued in proporrtion; and Cso contrary For one equivalent Proporcition in both will bring in neither. wWee see yethe proffitt thereof by yethe unusuall Pieces quantities of gooldgold brought lately to yethe mint by reason of yethe price wee rate it aboutve all other Countrys gogold maybe bought totoo deare. tTo furnish then this way yethe mint with both is Impossible.
And att this time it was apparently proved both by the best artistsArtists, ++ merMerchants most acquainted wthwith yethe exchange in both yethe examples of yethe mint masters in yethe dRixDollers + Royalls of eight, ytthatytthat sisilver here us if equall value + gogold above wch.which forraigne parts in yethe Instrinsique value, but llSSallarys prresented to yethe Lordsords byby yetheyethe miMint master is oonly yethe nomination of it's extrinsiqutrinsiquee Quualityty.
But if wee desire both it isis not yethe raiaising yethe value that doth it but yethe ballancing yethe Trade, for if we buy more then wee sell of all other Commmodities be yethe money never Soe high priszed wee stmust part wthwith itit to make the Disproportion eaven, if weewee sell more, then the Contrary will follow,. andAnd this isis plaine in yethe Spanish necessytyesities, for should that KKing advancenced to a double Royall of eight, yett needing by reason of yethe barroness ofof this Couountry more of forreaign wares then he can countervaile by exchange with hiswth his own wares he must then ꝑt with his money + gaine no more by exchanging
with his own ares he must then part with his money & gain no more by exchanging his Coyne then before, but will pay a higher price for yethe ComoditesCommodities he he buyeth if this wrke of raiseing be his owne.
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But if wee Shall make Improvemt.ent of Gould + Silver being yethe Staple Commmoditys of this kingdome to yethe fashion of yethe Netherlands, were to fram a Royall monarchy by a Society of merchantsants, Theirtheir Country isis a continuanuall Faire, + Soe yethe price of momoneys must ryseryse, + fall to fitt their occasionsoccasions. wWe seeee this by raiseing yethe exchange allat FrankfordFrankford and other places att yethe usuall timestimes yythee martsmarts.
ThisThis frequuentt + dayly change in yethe low CuntryesCountryes of these moneys is noe Such Iusticeinjustice to any three as it would be here, Foor there they being all merchants or mecnickeschanickes the cancan rate accordingly theire labour, and therire wereware whether it be Coyne or other merchandisedise, yethe yethe Condiciition to yethe prsent Condicion of thiretheir own money in exchange.
And our English merchants to whose prossfession it properlyroperly bebelongeth doe soe according to yethe Iuust intinsique value of thiretheir forraigne Coynes in all barter of of ComoditiesCommodities or exchange except usanceusance wchwhichwchwhich wewe ytytthat and rated + tyed by yethe exsiquetrinsique measure of moneys in all our coconstaant Reckoningsgs, andand nuannnuall Bargains att home cannot Doe.
And for us then to raise our coyn at this time to equall theagt.against3ire Proporcirtions were but to render our sesselves toto aa ꝑrꝑperpetuall inercertaintietys, For they will Rayseaise there upon yythe dayly gagaine wchwhich we have of Corseourse must follow, or lelse Recceivve noe Proifitt by thisthis prresnet Change and soe destroy yethe popollicyicy, IusticeIustice Honour and tranqanquilityility of our state forfor ever.
State of Ireland in 1673.1673.