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The Political Anatomy of Ireland (1899)/Report

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Chapter XIII
The Political Anatomy of Ireland
by William Petty, edited by Charles Henry Hull
Report from the Council of Trade 1676
Propositions concerning the Government of Ireland
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2531442The Political Anatomy of Ireland — Report from the Council of Trade 1676William Petty
​

REPORT


FROM THE


COUNCIL OF TRADE


1676.

​

NOTE ON THE "REPORT FROM THE COUNCIL OF TRADE."


To the laborious conscientiousness of Essex as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland we are indebted, indirectly, both for the Report from the Council of Trade and for its nearest fellow, Sir William Temple's Essay upon the Advancement of Trade in Ireland. Since the Report was but a summary of the unpublished Political Anatomy, in connection with which alone it has since been printed, it calls for no extended comment.

A MS. copy of the Report, apparently transmitted by Essex to Arlington, is at the Record Office[1]. Another copy of greater personal interest, is in the Pepys collection of J. Eliot Hodgkin, Esq., of Childwall, Richmond on Thames. This copy was given by Petty to Pepys and remained in the possession of Pepys' descendants until it was acquired by Mr Hodgkin in 1889[2]. By his kind permission both Petty's autograph corrections and the significant divergences of the MS. ('H') from the printed version are here noted.

​
A Report from the Council of Trade in Ireland, to the Lord Lieutenant and Council, which was drawn by Sir William Petty.

IN Obedience to your Lordship's Act of Council, of January the 20th. 1675. we have spent several days in considering how, as well the Wealth of this Kingdom in general, as the Money thereof in particular may be increased. And in order thereunto, we have first set down to the best of our knowledge the state of this Kingdom in reference to Trade. Secondly, We have noted such Inferences from the same, as do shew the several Causes of the smalness of Trade, want of Money, and the general Poverty of this Nation. And in the last place, we have offered such general Remedies and Expedients, in the respective Cases, as may be obtained and practised, without any new Law to be made in Ireland. And we are ready so to inlarge upon the Branches we have |115| offered, as to make such of our Proposals practicable, as your Lordships shall please to select and approve of for that purpose.

March the 25th. 1676.

​

Considerations relating to the Improvement of Ireland.

1.THE whole Territory of Ireland consists of about 12 Millions of Acres (English Measure) of Arrable Meadow, and good Pasture Land; with about two Millions of Rocky, Boggy, and Scrubby Pasture, commonly call'd Unprofitable, (tho not altogether such): The rest being absolute Boggs, Loughs, Rocks, Sands, Strands, Rivers and High-ways, &c. Of all which, several Lands, the yearly Rent (comprehending Their Majesties Quit-Rents, Tythes and Tenants Improvements) is supposed to be about 900,000l. and worth to be purchased at[3] Nine Millions.

2. The value of all the Housing in Ireland, which have one or more Chimneys in them, (excluding all Cabbins which have none) is supposed to be Two Millions and a half. |116|

3. The Cattel and Live-Stock, Three Millions.

4. Com, Furniture, Merchandise, Shipping, &c. about One Million.

5. The Coyned and Currant Money, now running in Trade, is between 300, and 350,000l.[4] or the 50th part of the value of the whole Kingdom, which we suppose to be about 16 Millions.

6. The number of people in Ireland is about 1100,000[5], viz. Three Hundred Thousand English, Scotch, and Welch Protestants, and 800,000 Papists, whereof ¼th are Children unfit for Labour, and about 75,000 of the Remainder are, by reason of their Quality and Estates, above the necessity of Corporal Labour; so as there remains 750,000 Labouring Men and Women, 500,000 whereof do perform the present Work of the Nation.

7. The said 1100,000 people do live in about 200,000 Families or Houses, whereof there are but about 16,000 which have more than one Chimney in each; and about ​24,000 which have but one; all the other Houses, being 160,000, are wretched nasty Cabbins, without Chimney, Window or Door shut, and worse than those of the Savage Americans, and wholly unfit for the |117| making Merchantable Butter, Cheese, or the Manufactures of Woollen, Linnen or Leather.

8. The Houses within the City and Liberties of Dublin, are under 5,000[6], viz. in the City 1150. And the Ale-Houses within the same about 1200. And it seems, that in other Corporations and Countrey Towns, the proportion of Ale-Houses is yet greater than in Dublin, viz. about ⅓ of the whole.

9. The Counties, Baronies and Parishes, of Ireland, are now become marvellously unequal, so as some are twenty times as big as others, the County of Cork seeming in respect of people and Parishes to be 1⁄8th of the whole Kingdom, and other Counties not being above the 20th part of the County of Cork; It hath been found very difficult to get fit persons for Sheriffs, and Juries; and the often holding of Assizes and Quarter-Sessions in the said smaller Counties, hath been found an unnecessary burthen upon them.

10. There are now in Ireland 32 Counties, 252 Baronies, and 2278 Parishes; so as the number of Sheriffs, and Sub-Sheriffs, Sheriff-Bailiffs, High and Petty-Constables, are about three thousand Persons, whereof |118| not above 1⁄10 are English or Protestants. So as the remainder (being about 2700) are Irish Papists, and are the Civil Militia of this Kingdom, and have the executing of all Decrees of Courts, and of Justices of the Peaces Warrants.

11. This Civil Militia, and the rest of the Irish Papists being about 800,000, are influenced and guided by about 3000 Priests and Fryars, and they governed by their Bishops and Superiors, who are for the most part, of the Old Irish Gentry, men of Foreign Education, and who depend upon Foreign Princes and Prelates, for Benefices and Preferments.

12. The Irish Papists (besides Sundays and the 29 ​Holidays appointed by the Law) do one place with another, observe about 24 days more in the year, in which they do no Corporal Labour, so as they have but about 266 Working-days; whereas Protestants not strictly observing all the Legal Holy-days, by a total forbearing of Labour, have in effect 300 Working-days in the year, that is, 34 days more than the Papists, or at least five of six days in each, or 1⁄10 part of the whole year.

13. The expence of the whole people of Ireland is about four Millions per Ann. |119| the 1⁄50 part whereof being 80,000l. and the Quarter of Annual House-Rent[7] being about 60,000l. together with 450,000l. more, being the value of half a years Rent, Tythes and Quit-Rent, do make 590,000l. as that sum of Money which will compleatly and plentifully drive the Trade of this Kingdom.

14. The value of the Commodities exported out of Ireland, and the Fraight of the Shipping imployed in the Trade of this[8] Nation, together with the fishing of Herrings, is about Five Hundred Thousand pounds per Annum.

15. The value of the Estates in Ireland of such persons as do usually live in England; the Interest of Debts of Ireland, due and payable to England; the pay of the Forces[9] of Ireland, now in England; the Expence and Pensions of Agents and Sollicitors commonly residing in England about Irish Affairs; the Expence of English and Irish Youth now upon their Education beyond the Seas; and lastly, the supposed Profit of the two great Farms now on Foot[10], do altogether make up near 200,000l. per Ann, as a Debt payable to England out of Ireland.

16. The value of the Cattel, viz. live Oxen and Sheep, carried out of Ireland into |120| England, was never more than 140,000l. per Annum; the Fraight, Hides, Tallow, and Wooll of the said live Cattel, were worth about 60,000l. of the said ​140,000l. And the value of the Goods imported out of England into Ireland (when the Cattel-Trade was free) was between Treble and Quadruple, to the neat value of the Ox, and Sheeps Flesh transported from hence into England.

17. The Customs of Exported and Imported Goods, between England and Ireland, abstracted from the Excise thereof, was in the freest Trade, about 32,000l. per Ann.



Inferences from the Premisses.

1.BY comparing the Extent of the Territory with the number of people, it appears that Ireland is much underpeopled; for as much as there are above 10 Acres of good Land to every Head in Ireland; whereas in England and France there are but four, and in Holland scarce one.

2. That if there be 250,000 spare Hands capable of Labour, who can earn 4 or five l. |121| per Ann. one with another, it follows that the people of Ireland, well employed, may earn one Million per Ann. more than they do now, which is more than the years Rent of the whole Country.

3. If an House with Stone-Walls[11], and a Chimney well covered, and half an Acre of Land well ditched about, may be made for 4 or 5 l. or thereabouts; then ⅔ of the spare hands of Ireland can in one years time build and fit up 160,000 such Houses and Gardens, instead of the like number of the wretched Cabbins above-mentioned: And that in a time when a Foreign-Trade is most dead and obstructed, and when Money is most scarce in the Land.

4. The other third part of the said spare hands within the same year (besides the making of Bridges, Harbors, Rivers, High-ways, &c. more fit for Trade) are able to plant as many Fruit and Timber-Trees, and also Quick-set Hedges, as being grown up, would distinguish the Bounds of Lands, beautifie the Countrey, shade and shelter Cattel, furnish Wood, Fuel, Timber and fruit, in a better manner than ever ​was yet known in Ireland or England, And all this in a time when Trade is dead, and Money most scarce. |122|

5. If the Gardens[12] belonging to the Cabbins abovementioned, be planted with Hemp and Flax, according to the present Statute[13], there would grow 120,000l. worth of the said Commodities, the Manufactures whereof, as also of the Wooll and Hides now exported, would by the labour of the spare hands above-mentioned, amount to above One Million per Annum more than at present.

6. The multitude and proportion of Alehouses abovementioned, is a sign of want of Employment in those that buy, no less than those that sell the Drink.

7. There being but 800 Thousand Papists in Ireland, and little above 2,000[14] Priests; It is manifest that 500 Priests may, in a competent manner, Officiate for the said number of People and Parishes. And that two Popish Bishops (if any at all be necessary) may as well Govern the said 500 Priests, and two Thousand Parishes; as the 26 Bishops of England do Govern near Ten Thousand Parishes.

8. If the Protestants, according to the present practice and understanding of the Law, do work one tenth part of the Year more than the Papists: And that there be 750 Thousand working People in Ire-|123|land, whereof about 600 Thousand Papists. It follows that the Popish Religion takes off 60 Thousand workers, which, at about 4l. per Annum each, is about 250 Thousand Pounds per Annum of it self; besides the Maintenance[15] of 25 Hundred superfluous Churchmen, which at 20l. per Annum each, comes to fifty thousand pounds per Annum more.

9. The Sheriffs of Ireland at 100l. per Annum, the High ​Constables at 20 l. per Annum, and the Petty Constables at 10 l. per Annum, each, being all English Protestants (with some other incident Charges for the Administration of Justice) may be sallarated and defrayed for thirty thousand Pounds per Annum, consistent with His Majesty's present Revenue, Forces, &c. which said Sallaries, may also be lessened, by Uniting some of the smaller Counties, Baronies and Parishes, according to the proportion of People Inhabiting within them.

10. If there be not 350 Thousand Pounds Coyned Money in Ireland; And if 590 Thousand Pounds (or near double what there now is) be requisite to drive the Trade thereof: then it follows, that there is not enough in Ireland to drive the Trade of the Nation. |124|

11. If the Lands of Ireland and Housing in Corporations, be worth above 10 Millions to be now sold (and if less than One Million of stock will drive all the Trade afore-mentioned, that Ireland is capable of) reckoning but two returns per Annum: It is certain that the lesser part of the said Ten Millions worth of real Estate, being well contrived into a[16] Bank of Credit, will with the Cash yet remaining, abundantly answer all the ends of Domestick Improvements, and Foreign Traffick whatsoever.

12. If the whole substance of Ireland be worth 16 Millions, as above said: If the customs between England and Ireland were never worth above thirty two thousand Pounds per Annum: If the Titles[17] of Estates in Ireland, be more hazardous and expensive, for that England and Ireland be not under one Legislative Power: If Ireland till now, hath been a continual Charge to England: If the reducing the late Rebellion did cost England three times more in men and money, than the substance of the whole Countrey, when reduced, is worth: If it be just, that men of English Birth and Estates, living in Ireland, should be represented in the Legislative Power; and that the Irish should not be judged by those who, |125| they pretend, do usurp their Estates: It then ​seems just and convenient, That both Kingdoms should be United and Governed by one Legislative Power. Nor is it hard to shew how this may be made practicable, nor to satisfy, repair, or silence those who are Interested or Affected to the contrary.

13. In the mean time, it is wonderful that men born in England, who have Lands granted to them by the King, for service done in Ireland to the Crown of England, when they have occasion to reside or negotiate in England, should by their Countrymen, Kindred and Friends there, be debarred to bring with them out of Ireland food whereupon to live, nor suffered to carry money out of Ireland, nor[18] to bring such Commodities as they fetch[19] from America directly home, but round about by England, with extream hazard and loss, and be forced to trade only with Strangers, and become unacquainted with their own Country; especially when England gaineth more than it loseth by a free Commerce; as exporting hither three times as much as it receiveth from hence: Insomuch as 95 l. in England, was worth about 100 l. of the like Money in Ireland, in the freest time of Trade. |126|

14. It is conceived that about ⅓d of the Imported Manufactures, might be made in Ireland, and ⅔d of the remainder might be more conveniently had from Foreign parts, than out of England, and consequently that it is scarce necessary at all for Ireland to receive any goods of England[20], and not convenient to receive above ¼th part from hence of the whole which it needeth to Import, the value whereof is under 100 Thousand Pounds per Annum.

​

The application of the Premisses, in order to remedy the defects and impediments of the Trade of Ireland.

1. Forasmuch as the consideration of Raising Money, hath already, and so lately, been before your Lordships[21]; therefore without giving this Board any further trouble concerning the same: We humbly offer, in order to the regulation of the several species thereof; That whereas Weighty Plate pieces, together with Ducatoons, which[22] estimate to be three quarters of the Money now currant in Ireland do already pass at proportionable Rates; and for that all other species of Silver Money, are neither rated proportionably to the said weighty |127| pieces, nor to one another; That Whole, Half and Quarter Cobbs of Sterling Silver (if light) may pass at 5s. 7d. per Ounce; but that the other Species of courser Silver, as the Perrues, &c. may pass as Commodity, or at 5s. per Ounce, until there shall be conveniency for new Coyning thereof into smaller Money.

2. That forthwith Application may be made unto England, to restore the Trade from the Plantations, and between the two Kingdoms (and particularly that of Cattel) as heretofore; and in the mean time to discover and hinder, by all means possible, the carrying of Bullion out of Ireland into England; to the end that those in England who are to receive Money from hence, may be necessitated to be very earnest in the said Negotiation.

3. That Endeavours be used in England, for the Union of the Kingdoms under one Legislative Power, proportionably, as was heretofore and successively[23] done in the case of Wales.

4. For[24] reducing Interest from Ten to Five, or Six, per Centum, for disposing moneyed men to be rather Merchants than Usurers, rather to trade than purchase, and to prevent the bad and uncertain pay-|128|ments, which Gentlemen are forced[25] to make unto Tradesmen, whose Stock and Credit is ​thereby soon buried in debts, not to be received without long and expensive Suits, and[26] that a Bank of Land be forthwith contrived and countenanced.

5. That the Act of State[27] which mitigates and compounds, for the Customs of some Foreign goods, purposely made high to hinder their Importation, and to encourage the Manufacture of them here, be taken into consideration (at least before it be renewed).

6. That the Lord Lieutenant and Council, as also the Nobility, Courts of Justice and Officers of the Army, and other Gentlemen in and about Dublin, may by their engagement and example, discountenance the use of some certain Foreign Commodities, to be pitched upon by your Lordships: And that Gentlemen and Freeholders in the Country, at their Assizes, and other Country meetings: and that the Inhabitants of all Corporations, who live in Houses of above two Chimneys in each, may afterwards do the same.

7. That there be a Corporation for the Navigation of this Kingdom, and that other Societies of men may be instituted, |129| who shall undertake and give security to carry on the several Trades and Manufactures of Ireland and to see that all goods Exported to Foreign Markets, may be faithfully wrought and packt: Which Societies may direct themselves, by the many several proposals and reports formerly, and of late made by the Council of Trade, and which they are now again ready to enlarge and accommodate to the said several proposals respectively, and more particularly to the Manufactures of Woollen, Linnen, and Leather.

8. That the Corporations of Ireland, may be obliged to engage no Manufactures, but according to their Primitive Instructions; which was to carry on such great works, as exceeded the strength of single Persons; and particularly that they may cause some such like proportions of Yam, Linnen, and Woollen, as also of Worsted, to be Spun, as Mr. Hawkins hath Propounded.

​9. That the Pattents, which hinder the working of Mines may be considered. |130|

10. That the Justices of Peace, may be admonished to protect the Industrious, and not suffer their Labours to be interrupted by vexatious and frivolous Indictments.

11. That the Inhabitants of the wretched Cabbins in Ireland, may be encouraged to reform them; and also compelled thereunto, as an easy and Indulgent Committing for the Penalty of Nine-Pence per Sunday payable, by the Statute; and likewise to make[28] Gardens, as the Statute for Hemp and Flax requires[29]. And that other the wholesome Laws against Idlers, Vagabonds, &c. may be applied to the prevention of Beggary and Thievery: Whereunto the orderly disposing of the said Cabbins into Townships would also conduce.

12. That the People be dissuaded from the observations of superfluous Holy-Days.

13. That the exorbitant Number of Popish-Priests and Fryars, may be reduced to a bare competency, as also the Number of Ale-houses. ||

14. That the Constable, Sheriff, and Bailiffs, may also be English Protestants, (though upon Salary).

From all which, and from the settlement of Estates; it is to be hoped, that men seeing more advantage to live in Ireland than elsewhere, may be invited to remove themselves hither; and so supply the want of People, the greatest and most fundamental defect of this Kingdom[30]. ||



[Here follows, in the 1691 edition of the "Political Anatomy," the Latin commission issued by Charles II. the 21 February, 1661, to the Duke of Ormond as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. It is not reprinted.]

  1. ↑ State Papers, Ireland, Charles II., vol. 337.
  2. ↑ Cf. Fifteenth Report Hist. MSS. Com., appendix, pt. ii., p. 317, also pp. 2, 153, 175, 176, 180, 181.
  3. ↑ H omits 'at.'
  4. ↑ A lower estimate than that made in 1672. See p. 187.
  5. ↑ H had '300,000,' altered by Petty to '1,1001000.'
  6. ↑ Later estimates of the houses in Dublin are made in the Observations and the Further Observations upon the Dublin Bills.
  7. ↑ H, 'House-Rents.'
  8. ↑ H, 'the.'
  9. ↑ H, Petty substituted 'Forces' for a word which he blotted, perhaps 'scores.'
  10. ↑ Probably an allusion to the farm of the Irish revenues which expired Christmas, 1675, and to the new farm concluded in December of that year. See Essex to the Lords Justices, 4 December, 1675, in the Capel Letters, 418.
  11. ↑ H, 'Wall.'
  12. ↑ H, 'Garden.'
  13. ↑ 17 & 18 Charles II., c. 9, Ireland, An Act for the Advancement of the Trade of Linen Manufacture, provided that tenants of cabins outside cities should have not less than one Irish acre of land each, and sow one eighth part of it with hemp or flax.
  14. ↑ H, 'little above 2000,' altered by Petty to 'about 3000.' The correction obviously represents Petty's intention for he goes on to speak of 500 requisite and "25 Hundred superfluous Churchmen." Cf. also p. 164.
  15. ↑ H, 'Manufacture.' The blunder was not corrected by Petty.
  16. ↑ H has 'a' inserted by Petty.
  17. ↑ H, 'Tythes,' corrected by Petty to 'Titles.'
  18. ↑ H, 'nor suffered.'
  19. ↑ H, 'bring.'
  20. ↑ H, 'Ireland.' The blunder was not corrected by Petty.
  21. ↑ See note 2, p. 186.
  22. ↑ H, 'we estimate.'
  23. ↑ ? successfully.
  24. ↑ H, 'The.'
  25. ↑ H, 'bound,' altered by Petty to 'forced.'
  26. ↑ H, 'and' is inserted by Petty.
  27. ↑ 20 Charles II., c. 20, Ireland.
  28. ↑ In H Petty inserted after 'Penalty,' 'viz. of Nine Pence per Sunday payable by the Statute; and likewise to make.'
  29. ↑ See note 2, p. 218.
  30. ↑ H, 'Finis. Dublin, 24 March, 1676.'
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