fetter'd by English Statutes This our Friends in England say is Policy and 't is a maxim among them that 't is their Interest to keep Ireland low If by their Interest they mean the Interest of some privat men who have Ends of their own to serve distinct from the Publick Good and if by Ireland they mean the Popish Irish Interest of Ireland then I allow that what they say may be true I think 't is the undoubted Interest of the King and Kingdom of England that those who are of the Protestant Religion and English Interest in Ireland be very numerous and that under them this Kingdom Flourish and grow Rich. The King will allow and so must every one that 't is His Interest to have His Power and Strength increas'd by the increase of Loyal Subjects and his Revenue made greater by the growth of their Wealth And when the thing is duly consider'd it must be allowed that 't is no less the Interest of the Kingdom of England then of the King What can be more convenient for England than to have a Kingdom so near it which will be able to raise and maintain a considerable Body of Protestant Souldiers whenever there is occasion In the time of Edward the First we find it recorded that three several Armies were rais'd of the Kings Subjects in Ireland and Transported one into Scotland another into Wales and the third into Gascoign Edward the Third Imploy'd an Irish Army under the Command of the Earl of Kildare and Faleo de 〈◊〉 Fâ—â—yn at the Siege of Callis And Henry the Fifth call'd over the Prior of Kilmâ—inam with 15â—0 Irish to the Seige of 〈◊〉 If it had been the good Fortune of Ireland in former times to be put unto such a Condition by Protestant Plantations that it had been able to maintain an Army this War in Handers it had thereby lessen'd the Change of English which I believe all the People of England will allow had been for their Interest But let us examine a little more nicely whether or no it be more the Interest of England to keep Iâ—eland low than to have it to grow Rich and Flourish by the increase of Protestant People and growth of Trade I do believe that every wise and and considering English man will allow me that scarce any one thing can happen without the Coasts of England that wou'd be more fatal to it than that Ireland shou'd come into the hands of the greatest Power in Europe The Inconveniences that would happen upon it I need not mention Let us see then whether of the two will be likelier to prevent this to keep things in the State they are that is to say to suffer the Iâ—ish Papists who are at least Three times as Numerous as we are and are to a man in the Interest of the French King to exceed us so much in number or to promote our growing more Considerable than we are by the Addition of Protestant People and the increase of Wealth The greater we are in Riches and People the abler we shall be not only to Defeat any Rebellions at home or Descents from abroad which may be ultimatly levell'd against England but also to lend a Considerable Assistanance to our Mother-Country in any necessary War she 's Ingag'd in I think 't is the Opinion of every English man that 't is the undoubted Interest of England to keep Possession of Ireland If so then I wou'd fain see some Reason given why 't is not the Interest of the People of England to render Ireland secure and make it Wealthy as well as England To say that Ireland is a Conquer'd Country is no Reason for wise Nations when they Conquer Countries with a Design to keep them do propose to themselves to add to the Grandeur Strength and Wealth of their own Country by it but how is this to be done but by Improveing their Conquest and by Immunities and Encouragements rendering them as like their own as they can and I think it may seem a little strange that a Nation fam'd for wisdom and Equity as the English are shou'd not after above 520 years possession in a Country so conveniently Situated so good so improveable as Ireland is order things so as that the very name of Conquer'd which has a very mischievous Idea join'd to it and all manner of Jealousies being taken away both Islands might be rendred one in all their Interests If they were made one Kingdom which I wish that this Reign and our present great Ministers of State in England may have the Glory of accomplishing I believe England wou'd then reckon it their Interest to help to make this Country as Considerable and Strong as they cou'd by promoting the increase of our Wealth and the growth of Protestant People and they wou'd no more grumble at our Prosperity than the North of England dos at the happiness of the South If such a Country as Ireland is well peopled and Wealthy were join'd to England just as Wales is I would ask whether England would not be put into a better condition than before The Hollanders who take a great deal of pains to gain ground from the Sea will allow it and he that denies it must be forc'd to own that England is not the better for the Addition of Wales and that 't would be no worse if Wales and many of its own Shires were lopp'd off from it But 't will be said that Ireland is not contiguous and joyn'd to England as I suppose Tho' it be not it may be made one Kingdom with it and then 't would be much the better for being divided from it by the Sea as it is For now the two Islands have more good Ports between them than they would have if they joyn'd together the Wealth and Naval force of England would be greater by means of the Shiping that must be employ'd between the two Countries And 't is sure that we can't easily imagin how great the Power and Wealth of England would be as the Kingdoms are now placed if they were made one Kingdom if England would take off the Shackles of Ireland make us a Free people and we gave Forreign Protestants Encouragement to live here I 'm sure if Ireland had been in such a condition long ago England would have some Millions of Money and a vast Treasure of Men which it now wants But some do imagin that Ireland cannot grow in Wealth but by Impoverishing England or hindering the growth of its Wealth They may as well say that they cannot have a considerable Addition to their Protestant people without making England weaker The Increase of Wealth in Ireland must Increase that of England for whatsoever Fountain our Wealth here springs from what ever Conduits it runs thro' it in the end empties it self in England Ireland may be render'd very Wealthy by a Trade which will not in the least interfere with that of England Ireland is by a great many reckon'd equal to
THE TRUE WAY To Render IRELAND Happy and Secure OR A DISCOURSE Wherein 't is shewn that 't is the Interest both of England and Ireland to Encourage Forreign Protestants to Plant in Ireland IN A LETTER To the Right Honourable Robert Molesworth One of His Majesty's Honourable Privy Council in Ireland and one of the Members of the Honourable House of Commons both in England and Ireland DVBLIN Printed by and for Andrew Crook Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty on Cork-Hill near Copper-Alley and for Eliphal Dobson at the Stationers Armes in Castle-Street 1697. SIR WHEN Parliaments Assemble to Treat of the Grand Affairs of the Nation 't is usual for men Without doors to put into their Hands such Schemes and Projects as they think may be Serviceable to the Publick Nor is this Intermeddling of private men reckon'd Bold and Impertinent but those Great and Wise Heads vouchsafe to receive the Proposals of men sometimes of little Figure as readily as they do the Petitions of Injured persons They think 't is reasonable that they who are Chosen to Enact Laws for the good of the Common-wealth should have a due regard to what any Member of the Community proposes for the common good Besides they wisely consider that men of ordinary capacities may sometimes hit upon lucky Thoughts which they by close Application of their minds to them may afterwards improve to the advantage of the Publick When such regard is shewn by Legislators to the Sentiments of Private men an honest man cannot well forbear Offering that to their Consideration which he believes will be a means of settleing the Peace and Prosperity of his Countâ—â— What I here propose Sir is what I think may have that good Effect If the Wisdom of the Nation Judge otherwise I shall sit down contented with the pleasure of being mistaken in my Zeal to serve my Country The Reasons which induced me to recommend this little Pamphlet to you are more then one you and your Ingenious and Worthy Friend Mr. St y were privy first to the Writing of it you have Interest both in England and Ireland as well as parts to compass what it designs The Method which it proposes to promote the good of the Publick is in the main agreeable to your Sentiments and you want neither Courage nor Resolution to contend warmly for that which you â—â—e perswaded is for the good of your Country What Entertainment it may meet with I am not able to conjecture your Name in the Front will give it some Reputation and dispose a great many to cast an Eye upon it To give it a little more Credit I can say that a Person of Place and Quality related to you and Dr. Wm. Mo x to whose Judgement I have a very great regard have viewed it and passed their Censure upon it The design of it is to shew what you are throughly convinc'd of that 't is our great Interest to Encourage Forreign Protestants to live among usâ— This is a ready way to make our Country Flourish and the most effectual course that we have now left in my opinion to secure us a lasting Peace and prevent such Rebellions as for above Five Hundred years together ' since the Conquest of Ireland by King Henry the Second have perpetually disturb'd this Kingdom made it a Dear and Troublesome purchase to England and an uncomfortable Habitation to the English who have been Seated here I know Sir that our people who are as apt to forget a Danger as they are Bold to Encounter it when it lyes in their way do generally reckon that the Irish are so broken by the last Rebellion that it will not be in their Power again to Disturb the Peace of the English here or to put England to any further Charge to Subdue them I shall shew you that the English have reckon'd too much after this rate formerly and it may happen that these too Sanguine hopes may prove very deceitful and be Fatal to them hereafter I do not think that the Irish are yet so subdu'd but that if things run on in the old course they may in process of time meet with circumstances that may favour other Rebellions The Happines or Misery of this Island for the time to come to me seems to depend on the prudent or ill management of the present We have now an opportunity in our hands such as never yet offer'd since Stronghow's Adventurers first brought their Arms into this Country of laying the Foundation of a lasting Peace I need not tell you Sir who are conversant in Histories and know the Changes and Revolutions of the World that the Flourishing Estate of some Countries has been occasion'd by the Ruin of their Neighbours and the intolerable uneasinesses that have forc'd them from their Habitations the present Desolation of France and the usage with Protestants meet with there may be a means of raising the Power aâ—â—â—â—alth of those Neighbouring Protestant Countries which have Wisdom and Goodness enough to take hold of the opportunity The United Provinces who know that they owe their greatness to the Troubles of Germany and the concourse of people from thence who were Persecuted for Religion make the best hand they can of their Calamities They Entertain the Persecuted Hagonots with the greatest Humanity and are very liberal in their Charity to them They know what the Reward of Charity is and they know of what value people are to their State they cannot Ingross all the Wrack of the French Church the Providence of God seems to Design a part for Ireland and the Security of 〈◊〉 Protestant Religion here and 't is sure if this Deodate be improv'd as it ought that Religion and English Propâ—rty may by this means be throughly secured and our Countrey rendred very flourishing The Ground of this hope arises from His Majesty's inclination to that People and that Noble Person to whom he has given a share in the Government The King has always express'd a Christian concern for them and he has as often recommended their Condition to the Charitable consideration of His Parliament as he has desir'd necessary Supplies for carrying on the War 'T is not then to be doubted but that His Majesty will Give them Encouragement to Settle and Plant in Ireland when he is perswaded that by their means he may do more to Secure the Protestant Interest of this Kingdom which he preserv'd with the hazard of His Life than has been ever done heretofore Those who have a Love for England and the Protestant Interest in Ireland pure and free from all Mean and Self ends do hope that the King had such a Design when he thought of making the Earle of Gallway one of the Triumvirat It happens indeed very Providentially that he 's a Person for his Courage Knowledge Temper and Integrity great in the esteem of the English as well as his own Country-men 'T is to be hop'd then that the great Opinion the French have
to take a great deal of pains both in Labouring the Ground and in Handicraft Occupations to get a Livelihood The streights they were put to made them Ingenious in their Inventions and when they found they were pinch'd both in the narrowness and produce of their Earth they were forc'd to look for room and provisions in the Sea By this means they fell into Navigation and Traffick grew vastly Rich Built great Cities and became the Envy of some of their Neighbours and the Admiration of Europe These are the Natural and Necessary Effects of much people Countries must be Improv'd and Enrich'd by them and those sooner than others which have the richest Soil and are most favour'd by the Sea England is as great an instance of this as any other Country for that great Wealth which it has acquired by the Improvement of the Woollen Manufacture which is an unknown Treasure is owing to the Walloons to whom Queen Elizabeth gave the greatest Encouragement to come for shelter into England from the Fury of the Duke of Alva's Pesecution But I shall make this plainer to the People of Ireland by giving them a short view of somethings here in our own Country There is in the North of Ireland an Estate which was the Lord Conway's which the Lord Marquess of Normanby the other day enjoy'd in Right of his Lady but now belongs to Mr. Popham Seymâ—r This Estate was formerly purchased by Sir Foulk Conway Uncle to the late Lord for about Five hundred pounds The Rent-role of this Estate is now about Five thousand pound per Annum Thô there are many great and profitable Leases in it some worth about Four hundred pounds per Annum clear The Land does not lye upon the Sea the Ground but very indifferent 't was altogether a Wood as the name Kilulta the Wood of Vlster denotes and yet in the Memory of men now living has been thus improv'd by a Colony of Yorkshire people and orhers brought over and Settled here by the Lord Conway and manag'd by Sir George Rawdon The same Remarke may be made on the Neighbouring Country of Clan Hugh Boy or O Neal's Country about Belfast and Carrickfergus the former of which Towns is the third in Ireland for Number of People and Trade and yet grew up to what it is from nothing in the Memory of People who liv'd but t'other day since Sir Arthur Chichester got that Estate But why should I mention particular Improvements We know that till about the same time the profits of Ireland in General were very inconsiderable The Rent which the Landlords receiv'd was no more than what he and his Followers eat in their Coshers and the Publick Revenue was not equal to the Charge of the State till of late years All the Advances which the Country made towards a better Fortune were in proportion to the number of People who came over into this Island In Queen Elizabeth's time after the Rebellions of Munster were quell'd some English came over anâ— Settled in the Plantations there And after that towards the latter enâ— of Her Reign that Province was render'd more Secure by the Defeat oâ— the Spanish Forces others came over in King James his Reign These by the Management of the Government and the Care of the Presidents oâ— Munster put the Country into a little better Condition than 't was in before The same Effect about the same time had the Plantations in the County of Wicklow and part of Wâ—xford where the English had a very ancient Settlement after that the Tools Birn's and Cavenash's had been rooted out And in the King 's and Queen's County after the quieting of the Insurrections of the O Connor's and the O More 's Vlster which before could only afford ordinary Food to the Kerns of the Country and some Military men from the latter end of Queen Elizabeth and the Reign of King James the First began to thrive and alter it's Condition for the better This was occasion'd by the Care which was then taken in Planting the Escheated Countres with new Protestant Inhabitants the Londoners Building Derry and Colrane and sending people to Inhabit them English Colonies Improving the Lands of Chichester and Conway and the Neighbouring places and the concourse of the Scotch out of Scotland These were only the first dawnings of Happiness After the War which began with the Rebellioâ— in Forty One was ended and the Kingdom was settled in Peace it began to Flourish indeed and Improv'd every day Then Houses were Built Manufactures set up Lands Improv'd and as they now yielded a considerable Rent to the Landlord so were they reckon'd able to pay a Quit Rent to the King This was the Condition of Ireland in the Reign of King Charles the Second it grew every day in Prosperity And the cause of this is very Obvious the number of the British here was grown greater then ever before The Army with which Cromwel Subdued the Irish was considerable after the War was over these continued in the Land the Souldiers most of them set down upon their Debentures a great many Adventurers came over brought English with them and Planted the Estates which were given them for the Money they laid out to carry on the War These were men of another Spirit generally and more opposit to the Irish and their Barbarous Customs then the English who came over before which must be imputed to the great aversion and prejudice which the Bloody Massacre in Forty One had Created in them This new Colony put the English who came over before who according to the old Custom were Degenerating and growing Irish in mind of their Origin and help'd to keep them tite to the English Interest and Protestant Religion By their means Trade Manufactures and the Rents of Lands Increased dayly and the State of the Kingdom was so Improv'd that in the latter end of King Charles the Second's Reign Ireland which before us'd to put England to a considerable charge raised a Revenue of about 330000 l. per Annum Since the late Troubles the condition of the Country is much worse and 't will be in a worse condition than 't is now many fair Houses and some Towns were Buâ—â—ed and great Numbers of the People Destroyed so that of course Manâ—â—actures must be Impâ—ired and Lands Untenanted But people would soon recover it and mâ—ke it's condition better than ever it was all Forreigners are valuable but some more than others The Duâ—ch are worth the Bâ—â—bing it they could be drawn in that way When we consider how little Land is to be Purchased in Holland what horrible Devastations have been in the 〈◊〉 and the continual danger of the Protestants upon the Rhinâ— and elsewere we may reckon that abundance of those people would willingly upon any Encouragement flock hither But the French Protestants are the people that we have the greatest expectation from at present and to me they seem to be such as this Country should desire
Attack upon Ireland as a step to the Universal Monâ—chy and since that Ambition together with the Balance of Power have â—len to France that King has cast a greedy Eye upon this Island Thereâ—e it must be the great concern of England to Secure it Sir Humphrey â—lbert in the year 1572 in a Discource concerning â—â—land to be found in one of the Manuscripts at Lamâ—h (a) Lib. L. fol. 239 240. said 't was the Interest of England to take more â—â—re then they did of the Settlement of the English here and â—ir being put in a thriveing way and made able to defend themselves for that to â—gland it must be either a necessary Friend or hurtful Enemy That if it shou'd â—ne into the hands of the Spaniards or French England wou'd be surrounded â—â—th dangerous Enemies The Danger england has been in and the Money they have Expended on is Island in this last age should methinks without runing up into the story of more Ancient Times convince them of the Reason they have to â—â—ke care of the Settlement of this Kingdom The War that began with the â—assacre in 1641 besides all the Bloud that was spilt cost England more â—an double the Money that all Ireland is worth if you 'l allow the Comâ—tation of some men That the late Troubles of this Kingdom and the Powâ—he Irish grew to considering the State of Affairs abroad brought England into some danger all thinking men I believe will allow This they must own that if the Treasure which was spent in Ireland and the Armies which were employ'd here had been sent into Flanders France had been humbled long ago and we had been in possession of an Honourable Peace When this is consider'd it must be allow'd me that if in former times Methods cou'd have been contriv'd to secure Ireland from these Troubles tho' it were by suffering it to grow Rich it had been the undoubted Interest of England to do it From hence I wou'd infer that 't is the Interest of England at this present time to do all that lies in its Power to prevent such Chargeable Bloudy and Dangerous Rebellions for the time to come There is no way of doing it effectually but by Incourageing people to come and Plant here People who will help to bring the Natives into Order and keep them in Subjection Thomas Howard Earl of Surry Eldest Son of Thomas Duke of Norfolk who was made Lord Leivtenant of Ireland in the year 1520 in a Letter to Henry the Eighth to be seen in one of the Manuscripts at Lambeth (a) Lib. H. fol. 339 340. tells him that unless his Grace send Inhabitants of his own natural Subjects to Inhabit such Countries as should be won all his charges wou'd be but wastfully spent for if the Irishrie says he Inhabit they will undoubtedly return to their old ill rooted Customes when they have opportunity as they have ever yet done This Noble Lord in this Letter shews the King the absolute necessity there was for his sending over Inhabitants of his own Subjects to Plant in this Country On which Saying we may make two Remarks which I think will be very useful First we see what a mighty Advantage it is to England that People come fairly in their way of whom by giving them some Incouragement they may as well serve themselves here and keep their own people at home It was then propos'd that the King wou'd Encourage Spaniards Flemings Almains and others to come over but from this the Earl disswaded the King left they should happen to fall into the Obedience of the Prince of their Native Country This was a just caution at that time when the Power of Spain was so great and all were of one Religion it do's not hold in the case of the French who are of the same Religion with us and differ from the Religion of their King and Country Secondly we see what the Great and Wise men reckoned the Interest of England that 't was to subdue Ireland throughly and put it into such a condition that it shou'd not give any Disturbance to England or the English Colony here They were not afraid of Depopulating England or of wanting men to send to raise Smoak in America No Ireland was their great concern They willingly sent their People hither and were very careful to make Ordinances and Laws to keep them here Hence it was that as we find in a Manuscript at Lambeth (a) Lib. G. fol. 13. in the 49th year of Edward the Third there was a Decree of Council that those who had Lands given them in Ireland shou'd abide there in Auxilium Salvationis terrae nostrae Hiberniae to help to preserve our Land of Ireland And in the Reign of Richard the Second his Successor as we find by another of those Manuscripts (a) Lib. M. fol. 35. ano Ric. 2d Rol par Jur. Lond. a Statute was made against Absentces commanding all such as had Lands in Ireland to reside there upon pain of forfeiting two third parts of the profits thereof And in the Reign of Henry the Eighth this Law was made fuller and extended to all their Lands By this Act the Earl of Shrewsbury the Duke of Norfolk the Lord Berkley and others forfeited their Estates here and the former the Ancestor of that Great and Worthy Person the present Duke of Shrewsbury lost that which is now the whole Country of Longford and almost all the Lands of the Counties of Westmeath and Wexford (a) vid. Lib. G. fol. 69. in Manuscript Lambethian These Laws I 'm told are still in Force and some have thought that if they had been duly executed the Irish wou'd not have been able to grow to that Head in Ireland which they lately did Whether this Conjecture be right or no I cannot tell this I may say without offence that the great Adventurers and Estated Men's living in England was always reckoned in former times one of the great Causes why Ireland was not brought into Subjection I could wish that those who have great Estates here wou'd take this into their Consideration now I find that among the other Instructions which the Earl of Essex Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the year 1573 gave Edward Waterhouse to communicate to the Queen this which we find in one of Sir George Carew's Manuscripts (b) Lib. L L. fol. 8. was one that he shou'd inform her that one great reason of the Armies being diminish'd in the North and that the Country was in the hands of the Rebels was the Adventurers retireing themselves to England The reason why I mention these things is to shew that in former times England did not regard any Advantage of its own which might interfere with the security of this Kingdom how plain wou'd this be if I should give an account of the Ancient Immunities granted by our Kings to the Corporations here and shew on t'other side how the Trade now is Prohibited and
most Countries in the World for the production of Flax and Hemp the Natives of the Country seem to be naturally enclin'd to this Manufacture 'T is plain by the Act of Parliament made not long since in England to take off all Duties and Impositions on the Product of Flax and Hemp from Ireland that England is well enclined to humour the genius of Ireland When we consider what a hand Holland France and the Northern Crowns have made of this Manufacture we may well allow that Ireland which has naturally greater advantages to improve it may be greatly enrich'd by it If we did but furnish England with that Linnen which they have from our neighbouring Countries this wou'd raise us a vast Treasure but I can't see what prejudice it would do England It seems to me to be at least as much their Interest to lay out their money with us who shall employ it in their defence and are their selves as with them who will make it an Instrument of their ruin 'T is the Computation of a very great man that the people of England spend 5 l. a year in Linnen one with another this Computation I suppose is much too large if the 30th part of this were laid out in Ireland 't would be three times as much as the current cash of this Kingdom has ever yet been It cannot easily be conceiv'd how much 't is England's Interest to have this Manufacture improv'd to the heighth 'T is probable that this will be the effect of Encourageing Forreign Protestants to flock hither this may draw in not only the French but many others likewise Since 't is so much our Interest to have Forreign Protetestants settle here How Forreigners may be encourag'd it concerns us to consider how we may incourage them to come in The Parliament which was held in my Lord Rumney's Government in the year 1692 made an Act which Naturaliz'd all Forreign Protestants but that was to be in Force only for Seven years Since that Law will be out of Date within two years I think Sir 't will become the Wisdom of the Nation to make a new Act which shall be in force Twenty years after the expiration of the old one and 't will be for the Publick good I think that by this Law Forreigners be not only Naturaliz'd but made Free of our Corporations likewise This will be for the advantage of the Common-wealth and will not injure particular Trades men as men upon first sight are apt to imagin To vouchsafe Strangers the Freedom of your Country is the first Incouragement the first Act of Kindness and Hospitality that you can shew them But this in good truth is no more than to give Rich men leave to bring in their Wealth and the Poor leave to beg in your Country I cou'd wish that all whom it concerns wou'd seriously consider whether it be not worth the while to lay another bait to draw them in Whether that after you have consider'd the real value of People you will not reckon it money well laid out if you should raise a fund not exceeding to be given to poor Protestants who bring in their Families to settle here I would have this money distributed among the poor French especially because they have been great Sufferers on the account of Religion The greatest Incouragement should be for men of Callings and those shou'd have most who have Wives and most Children This cannot be call'd a Burthen to the Nation because 't will be spent in the Kingdom and will increase its Wealth for the time to come This will not draw in the poor alone but the Rich likewise for they will be fond of living among a people who make such Provision for their poor And because I have shewn that 't is the Interest of England to Incourage Forreign Protestants to settle here 't is to be hop'd that if it can be done some measures will be thought of to prevail upon the King and People of England to raise some Fund there to help poor Forreigners to come over hither When this is done I think Sir that our great Council wou'd do that which would make their Memory dear to postority if they would Address the Government and pray that they would signifie to His Majesty that 't is the request of His great Council here that for promoting the Prosperity and Secureing the Peace of this Nation for the time to come he would in the Grants he makes of Forfeited Lands take some care to have Protestants planted in them If in every Estate Granted by the King the person to whom the Grant is made were oblig'd to plant a considerable number of Protestants in proportion to the Land which is given him and if they were oblig'd to set out a good part of those Estates to Protestant Tenants in Leases for Lives at a small Rent first and to be rais'd afterwards this I think would have a very good Effect and would go a great way towards making the Country Rich and Secure There is another thing which I could wish the Wisdom of our Nation would seriously consider Whether it would not be very much for the Interest of Ireland that the King would grant at least a part of the Forfeited Lands not yet disposed of to Forreign Protestants particularly and that for very good reasons to the French I believe when they consider the thing impartially they will own it I find that in the year 1583 Queen Elizabeth in the Instructions which She gave Sir John Perrot sent Lord Deputy into Ireland when She talks of Disposing of Forfeited Lands here tells him that She 's for giving no more to one than he 's able to furnish people for (a) Manuscript Lambeth L. C. pag. 35. If the King gives Grants to English Gentlemen of England or Ireland without this care taken they must take up with the Irish Tenents that are upon the Land and things must run on in their old course If they furnish people out of England this will unpeople England and impoverish it which 't is our Interest to have full of People and Wealth that we may live the more secure under its protection The great Body of the French Protestants are at this day in a very uneasie and unsettled condition and no one knows how many of them would make this Country a place of Retreat from their severe Persecutions if they heard that the King of Great Britain had granted them Lands to settle upon And when I speak this I cannot but take notice that I think it a great happiness that the Forfeitures not yet dispos'd of are in Conaught If great numbers of the French were planted there that Country which is thinest of Protestants would be render'd as Secure as any part of the Kingdom Before the Reign of King James the first till the Escheated Counties were planted with Protestant Inhabitants and the Londoners Built Derry and Colrane the North of Ireland gave the greatest disturbance
of him may encline multitudes of them to come into Ireland and that by means of his Credit with the English Methods may be contriv'd for their Settlement here If any thing of this kind be done there will be many evil men of differing perswasions byass'd by their Privat Interests who will raise loud Clamours and Objections and make it their Business to Obstruct such a Work The design that I had in commiting my rude Thoughts to Writeing was to set people on thinking of what may be for the Publick Interest of this Kingdom and to anticipate all Objections which may be made against Forreigners being Planted here A short Undertaking of this kind may have an use in it which every one does not think of When a Colony of men are Invited or Receiv'd into a Country 't is for the Interest of the Publick that as soon as may be they grow one both in their Interest and affections with the people with whom they are Incorporated This depends very much upon the Inclinations which men have towards them in the begining for if at their first comming in the Inhabitants are Prejudiced against them from hence Animosities will Naturally arise and such ill Blood may by degrees be bred in them as may creat perpetual Feuds opposit to the Interest of the State 'T is convenient therefore that they make their entrance with the good Will and Approbation of the People of the Land This little Discourse may be in some sort useful to that end In it I will shew that 't is the Interest both of Ireland and England to encourage Forreign Protestants to settle here and then I will propose some Incouragement to be given them That 't is the Interest of Ireland to Encourage Forreign Protestants to Live and Settle here 'T is the Interest of Ireland to Encourage Foreign Protestants the Parliament of this Kingdom thought when in the Year 1692. in my Lord Rumney's time they made the Act for Naturalization They knew very well that without many People a Country can be neither Rich nor Secure and that by making their Land a Place of Refuge and Sanctuary for Strangers they took the most effectul course to increase their Strength and add to their Prospority It happens sometimes that Laws which the Wisdom of a Nation sees are for the good of the Common-wealth and are Enacted after the most mature deliberation yet are too freely Censur'd when they thwart the imaginary Interest of Privat men This may very well be suppos'd to be the Fate of a Law which Enfranchises Strangers If a Tradesman who is one of the first Rate Orators among the men of his Tribe fancies that his Condition is rendred worse than 't was before and thereupon Damn Forrigeners and those who made Laws to bring them in others will be ready to follow the Cry without examining whether there was Reason for it or no that a Naturealization in Ireland and the Encouraging such Protestants as the French are particulary for our greatest hopes are from them cannot come under this censure I shall Endeavour to shew Every one who knows the Condition of Ireland at this time and has view'd the Scenes of it's former Troubles must own that that will be of the greatest advantage to it Which will better the present Condition of the Country and which will Settle and Secure it from such troubles and Rebellons as it has formerly been perpetually harass'd with these will be the effects of Encouraging Protestants to Settle here This will make the Condition of the Country better than ' t is The way of the World is when they compare Countrys one with another to take their Estimate from their Wealth and Improvements of all sorts and to set the greatest value on those which are Naturally the best and have the most Artificial Wealth and Furniture in them Otherwise we must say that all Countries are alike and that Holland which makes so great a Figure in Europe is not to be valued above New Holland in Asia which is Discrib'd to be one of the most miserable places in the World We may thus compare a Country with it self and viewing it in differing periods of time reckon it in a better or worse Condition according as we see it Flourish or Decay in it's Improvements or Wealth I 've seen in Sir George Carew's Manuscripts in the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury's Library at Lambeth (a) Ms. marked M. page 49. Ex Arch. Cast Dub. An Extract out of the Archives of the Castle of Dublin which says That formerly for 250 Years together the Customs of the Realm of Ireland did never exceed in any One Year above the Summ of 1000 l. And I find by another Manuscript (b) Lib. XX. p. 62 63. in the same Library That in the Year 1611 in the Reign of King James the First Miles Cogan who took a Survey of the Kingdom Reported that the whole Exportation and Importation of the Country amounted only to 211000 l. No one I suppose will say that the Kingdom was then in as good a condition as it is at this time when the Customs are about 130000 l. And he that considers how many fair Ports do now lie idle how thin of Inhabitants and Un-improved the Land is in most places will hardly say that Ireland cannot be render'd more Flourishing than ' t is It is sure it may but this must be by a greater multitude of People Where there is so much Ground and so few Inhabitants it cannot be imagin'd that the People are able by their utmost Labour and Industry to raise all the rich Commodities and Fruits which 't is naturally apt to produce much less can we imagine how the Countrey shou'd be Beautified and Enrich'd with Improvements How the Foundations of new Towns or Cities should be laid or any considerable Additions made to the Old ones How the Ports should be made use of or Ships sent to Sea when the Commodities of the Countrey lie in the Bowells of the Earth for want of Hands to force them out Or how men shou'd trouble themselves to go to Sea and endanger their Lives in Fishing for Food there when the Earth supplies them with plenty of Provisions and they may live secure in idleness and almost in the forgetfulness of Labour on the dry Land These are the Practices this the Condition of more Populous Countries Where there are abundance of People the Country tho' the Barrenness of the Soil shou'd give the greatest opposition must necessarily become Wealthy Crouds of People upon the Breach of the Roman Empire Raised the great City of Venice on those little Rocks and scraps of Islands which yielded before but an uncomfortable habitation to poor Fishermen The United Provinces which are now one of the great Bulwarks of the Protestant Religion and the Liberties of Europe were formerly we know of no great Consideration till great shoal's of people flock'd in thither and were forc'd in their own Defence
see what Inconveniencies will follow from Waterford's being clogg'd with too many Men of the Haters Trade as some phrase it in such a Case either some of those superfluous Trades-men will enquire what other places of the Kingdâ—m want men of their Calling and they will go and live there which is a great Advantage to that place or if they continue in Waterford they will send their Ware to other Markets of the Kingdom as the Northern people do their Linnen Cloth to Dublin and other Places the Shoemakes of Bandon do their Shoes to Coâ—k and those of Athlone do their Hats to Dublin This way of Trading must be Advantagious to Waterford for either they must bring home Money for their Hats or some other Goods which that City stands in need of And if by the casual falling in of Trades-men or other Accidents or Conveniencies it shou'd happen that many Towns of the Kingdom shou'd run into one sort of Trade as Rippon into the Trade of Spurrs Bermingham and Sheffield of Iron Ware This wou'd be a mighty Advantage to the Kingdom and the men of that Craft in those places for by this means our Country wou'd almost every where be Improv'd our Roads frequented and rendr'd secure from Robberies and there wou'd be a vast Commerce in the Kingdom I wou'd ask those people who are against the comming in of Forreign Trades-men one Question whether it be not better that Forreign Trades-men shou'd be Encourag'd to live among us than that we shou'd be at the Charge of bringing their Goods out of France this was our Case before the War and will be again when we have a free Trade thither Our people shou'd consider that our Trades are not in the highest perfection in Ireland but that people furnish themselves with the portable work of almost all Callings from other places The French are Famous for their great Skill in Manufactures England must own that they have profited mightily by them since this War began or rather I wou'd say since the Edict of Nantz was destroy'd by the Improvement of the Silk Manufacture The Linnen Manufacture is that which we may Improve in this we shall not Rival England for they give up this Improvement to us without grudging and reckon it to be the more peculiar Talent of Ireland This is a Manufacture in which the French do excel and therefore Ireland may very reasonably promise themselves great Advantages by tâ—e comming in of the French and their Improveing of it The French are Remarkable for their Skill in Gardening and managing of Trees of all sorts 't is not to be doubted then but if considerable numbers of them come into this Land they will render it both Beautiful and profitable by Improvements of that kind Ireland wants Skilful and Industrious Husband-men as much as any place In the condition 't is now you can't expect to see men Industrious The Irish are reckon'd a lazy people but this I don 't attribute to the natural temper of the Men and the abundance of Flegm in their Bodies as is generally suppos'd but rather to the want of Employment and Encouragement to work Sir William Petty computes that the work of one man in a Potato Garden will feed Forty people and the Milk of one Cow will afford Meat and Drink enough in the Summer time for three men Besides there is abundance of Food round the Sea-shores which is procur'd with little or no pains The Addition of people must Increase their Industry in Labouring the Ground The French are allow'd to understand Husbandry as well as any people next the Flemings and this enhances their value in Ireland above any thing else 'T is true indeed very many of that way of life are not yet come over Husband-men are the last that quit a Country by reason of the difficulty of disposing of their Leases and removing their Stock But there is no doubt but very many of them will dispose of their Effects in France and seek a Retreat for their Religion in Ireland when they hear that they have some Incouragement to do it and that their Brethren are Settled and well Entertain'd here But I have heard some people say that the French are very poor and what Advantage say they is it to have such come into a Land 'T is the Observation of a very Wise and Curious Observer that they who grow Richest in a Country are they who come in poor how can they arrive to this Wealth but by great Industry and Improveing the Country but those men are mistaken the French even who are in England yet unsettled and are dispos'd to come into Ireland when Encouragement is given them are not all poor they have a great deale of Money among them and will if they come over make a considerable Addition to the current Coyn of Ireland But if they had no Money they would be nevertheless People People are Wealth and they have rates set upon them The value of people in England one with another some have computed to be Seven pounds a Head In Ireland I account the value of such Protestant People as the French are for I do make a Difference to be much greater because in Ireland you are not only to value them as people who Improve the Country but as Souldiers likewise who are to secure you and your Interest You may therefore and 't will be but an ordinary Civility so to do set as great a rate on them as we usually do on Slaves and Negro's viz. 15 l. one with another Men being sold for 25 l and Children at 5 l. each the mean rate is 15 l. I should be very sorry to meet with Protestants who wou'd not allow this Computation in Ireland where the Country wants good Inhabitants to Improve it and Men to plant Civility and Religion Allowing this Computation then or allowing any thing you see that a considerable number of Forreigners if they should come bare into your Country bring considerable Wealth with them Wealth which I think can never be sufficiently Priz'd when you consider that they will not only make the Condition of this present Age better but likewise be a Defence and Security to us for the future If this be true Encourageing Forreign Protestants will secure us for the future I 'm sure it ought to be a great Motive to the people of Ireland to give their helping Hand to Contribute to it I will not except the poor Irish themselves for you do them as much kindness in putting it out of their Power to Rebel as you wou'd do Frantick people in tying their Hands when you are perswaded they 'l cut their own Throats They in their Insurrections have shed a world of English Blood and all the good they have done themselves by it is that they lost their own Blood and Estates every Rebellion making their Conditions as well as the Country worse then they were before But 't is generally thought now that the
be Objected by some that the Remedy may be as bad as the Disease that we cannot be secure that the French will not help to Inslave us to a Forreign Nation The Wise Heads of the Nation sufficiently considered this danger before they made the Act for Naturalization The only Danger that is or can be fear'd is from the French King 'T is often said that the French Protestants are proud of their Monarch's greatness and seem to be pleas'd with his Success I should not at all wonder if something of this were true 'T is natural for men who are forc'd from their Country and endure hardships in a strange Land to desire to be thought considerable and they may think that it may give them some Reputation and Credit among strangers when they see and consider that they forsook a Prince whose Power is great and his Arms sometimes Crown'd with Success I have heard it said that when we Burn'd the French Ships at Le Hoge c. The Irish Army who were joyn'd with the French there rejoyced at it And 't is very well known that many of those English Gentlemen who follow'd King James and his Fortune through France into this Kingdom whom we knew to be Bitter and Inviterate in their Expressions against their Native Country because they came in Competition with the Irish for their Places and Preferments were Represented by them to be persons so partially addicted to the people of England that they could not well be trusted But let us see what Danger may be fear'd from the French King I will suppose great numbers of French Protestants planted in Ireland and I will suppose that the French King Lands a Body of men here If he desires his old Subjects whom he has us'd so barbarously shou'd repair to his Standard and assist him in his Enterprize he must put out a Declaration wherein he must vow much oftner than he did about the Edict of Nantz or else he will do no good that tho' he was not so kind to them who help'd him to the Throne as he might have been tho' he had broken that Edict which he confirm'd by many Vows and Proclamations tho' in that Edict whereby in the year 1685 he rescinded the Edict of Nantz he Declared to the World that 't was his Resolution from the very beginning of his Reign to destroy the Religion of Protestants whom he always reckon'd to be people fit to be treated with all manner of Injuries and not capable of Leagues and acts of kindness and that all the Edicts he hitherto Published in their Favour and all the Honours he Conferr'd upon them were only to gull and delude them tho' he had Dragoon'd them too severely tho' he had forc'd them to the Gallies and depriv'd too many of their Lives yet now he promises and vows more Solemnly then ever that he will let them enjoy their Religion without Disturbance Who can imagin that a people who were so Inhumanly treated after that their Religion is again Establish'd after that they are free'd from severe Exactions and have tasted and known the pleasure of a mild and gentle Government and have been very kindly Entertain'd in a strange Land will prove false to their Benefactors and their own Interest and run headlong into Popery and Slavery again I 'm sure there must be at least as much reason for trusting them to live in Ireland now as there was for useing their assistance against Monsieur St. Ruth at the Battle of Aghrim and none I think will deny that they behav'd themselves very well there as they have done in Piedmont and Flanders Others will Object that it may be of ill consequence to Encourage French Protestants to Settle here because their Discipline and way of Worship differ from that of our Establish'd Church 'T is a great misfortune that scarce any thing can be propos'd for the Publick good which crafty men cannot Defeat by Representing it Dangerous or Inconvenient to one party or other There is nothing that I desire more than to see the day when the Distinction of Parties so opposit to the Publick Good and Safety shall be clearly or in a great measure taken away Our most considering men who are Zealous for our Ecclesiastical constitution and careful enough to Discountenance any thing that may possibly occasion Troubles in the Nation know that there is no place for this Objection They may and do observe that of all Forreign Protestants none more readily Consorm to the Discipline of the Church of England than the French do that many of the Famous Writers of that Church have in their Writings in France Express'd their Approbation of an Episcopali Government that they have a Legal Established Church here and that their Wise and Leading men are enclin'd by their Judgment as well as Interest with the other Immunities of the Country to embrace the publick Religion of it I think indeed no Argument can be brought strong enough to prove that 't is not â—he Interest of Ireland to have French Protestants Planted here nor is this â—ess the Interest of England than 't is of Ireland I cannot call any thing the Interest of Ireland 'T is the Interest of England to Encourage Forreign Protestants in Ireland which â—ndangers the Safety or plainly Prejudices the Geneâ—al good of England I hope all the English of this Kingdom are of the same Temper I 'm sure they â—ught to be Natural Affection should remind us of â—ur Origin and Gratitude of the Obligations which â—e owe to England for the vast Revenue they have spent from time to time 〈◊〉 Quelling the Insurrections of our insolent Enemies I must indeed Conâ—ess that I never cou'd understand the Reason of some Mens Assertions or â—â—e force of their Reasoning who maintain that 't is the Interest of England 〈◊〉 keep Ireland low That in an Age more Remarkable for refin'd Policy â—an Vertue some should as they have done wish it drown'd in the â—ottom of the Sea to me do's not seem strange there is a Plain and Obvious â—eason for it and that is because it has put England to a vast Charge This â—on a due Examination will prove to be a Reason why England should lend 〈◊〉 helping hand to Settle it upon a better Foundation Those good men â—d true Lovers of their Country find they can't drown it with their Wishes â—r can they make such Engines to over-whelm it as Archimedes Invented to 〈◊〉 raise up the Roman Ships in the Harbour of Syracuse who by turning â—em upside down threw the men into the Sea Whilest this Island 〈◊〉 above Water it will have People Great Nations have had their â—e upon it In the time of the Romans we are told that one of the â—avest men of that Common-wealth reckon'd it upon the Account 〈◊〉 its Harbours and Soil convenient for those to possess who aim'd at â—e Dominion of the World Spain when it had Ambition and Power to â—pport it made an
to the English Since those Plantations have been made there it has been the securest retreat from the Insurrections of the Irish If a considerable Colony of Protestants were planted in Conaught 't would be impossible for the Irish to disturb the peace of the English in this Country for the time to come I have heard a Person of Quality who is your Relation speak of a projest which I think would if it were put in Execution render that part of the Country secure If the King after that he has oblig'd those whom their Merits Recommend to His Favour would be pleas'd to Grant Lands in this Province to the French and would take care to appoint Commissioners to see it planted by them and English mixed together He would take an effectual course to Secure and Enrich this Kingdom which he retriev'd from Misery and Slavery by the hazard of His Life When the Parliament considers this they perhaps may think it proper to pray the Government that they would Represent this to the King besides these publick Grants and Emulaments 't is to be hop'd that the Protestant Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdom will when they consider the great want and value of good people in this Country give private Incouragements to Forreign Protestants to come into the Kingdom and settle upon their Estates In Order to Promote this I could wish that in the Act of Naturalization it were Enacted that at the Publick charge four Folio Manuscripts well bound were purchased the First of these called the Book of Linster to be placed in Dublin the Second called the Book of Muâ—ster to be plac'd in Cork the Third called the Book of Conaught to be placed in Gallway the Fourth call'd the Book of Vlster which need not be large because Forreigners will have little or no Encouragement in this Province which is indifferent full of People already to be plac'd at Belfast or some other place those Books I wou'd have put into the hands of the Town Clarks of the respective places or such other Persons as shall be thought fit In these Books I wou'd have the Nobility and Gentry of the Respective Provinces enter the Incouragements they will give to Forreign Protestants to Settle in their Estate viz. How many Tenements they will set out with what Lands Annex'd to them whether the Lease shall be for Lives or a considerable term of years and I cou'd wish that they wou'd consider that the true way to make Ireland Flourish is to let Leases for Lives as in England and to Encourage Tillage how long they shall be Rent free and what the Rent shall be after such time what Bonâ side the Land is worth an Acre as the Land thereabouts is now Set How many Tenements they have particularly for Linnen Weavers for this will be a good way to Incourage the Linnen Manufacture and if the Parliament wou'd in all or for a Specimen in some Counties where the Linnen Manufacture is most Improv'd order large Bleaching Yards to be made in such places of those Counties or the Neighbouring County as Justices of the Peace of the County with the Advice of Persons whose imployment it has been to make Linnen these Bleaching Yards to be put into the hands of the best Tradesmen to be procur'd at home or a broad and they to Whiten Cloath at a rate set by the Parliament this I conceive might go a great way in Improveing our Linnen Manufacture What Incouragement is thus given I wou'd have entered in the Reigistry by the Gentleman 's own hand or if he send his Incouragement in a Letter to the Register I would have two Witnesses hands to the Letter and it should be kept on Record The Reason is because I wou'd have whatever Incouragement is thus given as Binding in Law as if it were a Deed and the poor Forrigner who accepts the Proposal shou'd have Liberty to sue in Formâ Pauperis and all the Kings Council shou'd be oblig'd to see him righted as if it were the Kings Suit Such provisions and security as this from the Publick Faith will Encourage Forreigners to venture into the Kingdom When such publick Registries are Settled Forreigners will have their Agent in the Kingdom to take an Account of the Incouragement that is given and if the Nobillty and Gentry wou'd be generous in their Proposals and wou'd regard rather the good of their posterity and the Security and Flourishing Estate of the Kingdom for the time to come than their own present gain no one can tell what a multitude of useful people they may bring into the Kingdom by this means That these Encouragements maybe made as publick as may be I wou'd have Transcripts of the Incouragements entred in the Book of Conaught sent Monthly to the Register of Cork and Dublin and those entred in Cork Conaught and Vlster sent likewise to Dublin And that Foreigners may have the more Encouragement to Settle here I would have them exempted at least for Seven years from the Offices of Church-Wardens Constables Jurors and from publick Taxes besides what Goods they bring in at their first coming shou'd be Duty Free but then they must give Security to pay for them if they don't settle in the Kingdom I am perswaded Sir that these Proposals on the first Reflection will seem very Wild and Extravagant and 't will be thought ill Husbandry thus to Bribe and hire men to do themselves a kindness Before men censure too rashly I desire they wou'd consider the great I had almost said the unknown value of people and the ill Report that frequent Rebellions have brought upon the Country which is a Lyon in the way that frightens Forreigners from coming hither What is thus given can do us no harm for the Money will in effect be raised only to Improve the Kingdom and that Land which is given to draw Forreigners in to Plant and Improve it will not I 'm sure be carryed out of the Country Some may very justly ask why I dont propose that English people rather be thus Encourag'd to come and settle here so I wou'd for they are the people that wou'd be useful to us if I were not very sure that this wou'd be taken ill in England I 'm for gaining as many useful Foreigners as possible and if we cou'd draw in great numbers of the French Protestants this wou'd be an Act of great Charity to them a great blow to the French King and the greatest kindness that we can do our selves FINIS