Page:William Petty - Economic Writings (1899) vol 1.djvu/26

Major Miles Symner, from taking an active part in its labours^[1]. Petty was therefore, obliged, "to manage the executive part of that vast and intricate work, as if it were alone, Few other Commissioners (for fear of falling into some Error) adventuring to do business without" him, "Whereby all displeasures real or imaginary, were accounted not onely" his "Permission but Commission: Not onely" his "simple Act, but design, contrivance and revenge^[2]." Working thus singlehanded, he set out their lands to the army with such dispatch that the distribution was completed in February, 1657. Meanwhile he had begun, in conjunction with Worsley, a survey of the adventurers' moiety of the forfeited lands. Distribution based upon this survey was delayed by disagreements among the adventurers at London until finally, in May, 1658, the patience of the Lord Deputy was exhausted by their indecision and he sent Petty to treat with them for the appointment of a commission which should adjust their claims out of hand. Upon his arrival in London, Petty found the adventurers already in receipt of an anonymous communication from Dublin, alleging that he intended if possible to cheat them as, it was charged, he had cheated the army. In the face of this charge he won the entire confidence of the adventurers' committee, and was provided by them with a petition to the Council at Dublin requesting "that, instead of all the said Commissioners, Dr Petty alone may bee authorized and approved by your Lordshipps, to act as well in behalfe of your Lordshipps as the adventurers, as a person best able to give the business a dispatch^[3]." The news of his triumph at London stirred up Petty's enemies at Dublin to prepare a second letter—Petty called it a libel^[4]—directed ostensibly to the adventurers and assuring them that his dishonesty in surveying and setting out the army lands had gone unpunished only because of his position as a clerk of the Council and prime favourite of the Lord Deputy. By prearrangement this letter was intercepted on its way to London and was brought to the attention of Henry Cromwell. Cromwell, whose confidence in Petty never wavered, at once referred the charges to a committee of seven officers. "Whilst these things were doeing in Ireland, the doctor rides night and day from London, in the end of December [1658], and through many hazards comes to

1. History, 208. After a time, but not until its work was nearly completed, a fourth member was added to the commission.
2. Reflections, 116—117.
3. History, 248.
4. History, 258—262.