Essays on trade and navigation in five parts / by Sir Francis Brewster, Kt.

Of Providing for Foreign Protestants.

AS I believe an Act of Naturalization would inlarge the Trade of this Nation, so would the planting Foreign Protestants in Ireland: And it seems but reasonable that this Nation should make some Advantage by that sink of their Blood and Treasure, which they never yet have done, but every Forty Years at most are put to the Ex∣pence of a New War: It is astonishing to reflect

on the Story of that Kingdom; in which it is said there hath been above Fifteen Hundred Thousand English murdered in Fifty Two Rebellions: It would be but a reasonable and provident Conside∣ration how to prevent such continual bleeding in that Kingdom for the future; But Matters of State is not the design of this Discourse; only where Trade must call to it for Aid, as in this case it seems to do, for the Government to give a hand to the planting that Kingdom, by which it may be profitable to this; and it can never be by lying waste, or being kept poor, which is a general Opinion amongst us; and I fear one of our most pernitious Mistakes in Trade, as it is point of our security, we should allow some Thoughts and Va∣lue for the Bodies of Men; and if we did so, there would not be such continued Slaughter in that Kingdom without producing one good Statute to secure that Countrey, as in reason it should be in∣tirely to the obedience and disposition of this; the greatest part of the Land of that Kingdom is, or ought to be in the hands of our Brethren, and they sure will not be unwilling to give us the priviledge of governing it, especially when by it we pre∣serve them, as by sending Foreign Protestants among them we should do: In private manage∣ment we should think him Lunatick that would pursue one Method a thousand times over, though he had as constantly miscarried in it; that seems the Case of Ireland; it is vain to imagine that British, so I think they call the English and Scotch of Ireland, can ever ballance the Irish; it is said, the Irish are now above twenty to one at this time, notwithstanding much more of the Irish perished in this last War, than of the British.

That then which I conceive would be the best management this Nation ever made of Ireland, would be to dispose the Forfeitures of that King∣dom to Strangers of all sorts that are not of the Church of Rome; and having made that exception, it will be necessary to give my Reasons for it. My Principles (I must confess) are against Force in Religion; but in this Case of Ireland there is a ne∣cessity to exclude as much as may be, those that have any Relation or dependance on the Church; because the Irish are a Bigotted People, and own a Foreign Jurisdiction, which is a Principle against the Government and Laws of the Land; and where those of that Opinion are superiour in Num∣ber to them that are in the Interest of Government, it seems absolutely Incumbent on the Government to provide against such Men as believe themselves under the most Sacred Tyes of Religion and Conscience, to Obey and Promote the Edicts and Injunctions of a Foreign Prince, for so the Pope is. But to return to that of bringing Protestants to Ireland; I conceive there must be more than ma∣king them Denizons, because at this time Ireland differs very little from a new Plantation, and to Plant such, there is always given larger Incou∣ragement to New Comers, than in Setled and Planted Countreys. If therefore such Methods were thought on, as might make those that would settle in that Kingdom Freeholders of small Pro∣portions of Lands at very easie Rents, that might be a great Inducement to Foreigners to go and fill that Countrey, and they would soon by intermix∣ture in Marriages with the English and Scotch be∣come British; and so those of the Interest of Eng∣land

would be Superiour to that of the Irish and In∣terest of Rome; and until it be so, England can never be sure of Ireland. All that this Nation ever yet had by it, was a breathing time of thirty or Forty Years, and then had a new Conquest to make.

But such a disposition as this would prevent Fu∣ture Rebellions, and also greatly Improve the Trade and Navigation of this Kingdom; For it is to be Noted, that the Chief Consumption of Ireland is of the Product and Manufactory of this Kingdom: And by an Account I have seen, Ireland takes off more from us than Virginia and New England; and if we take it into our Care, would Imploy more of our Ships; but of that I intend in the second part of my Essayes to treat at large, and in the mean time shall here Insert Verbatim part of a Discourse I find in a Pamphlet, Inti∣tuled, The Linnen and Woollen Manufactories: A Discourse Printed in the Year 1691: The whole was Rational; but that which I think applicable to what I am now upon, was as followeth: He begins the Paragraff thus, as I said before, Ireland is no more than one of our Foreign Plantations, only I think it will be allowed the first Place, and more than any other in nearness of Blood; and that of our Nobles there being many Families in that Kingdom descended from the Antient Families of this; and most of the Estates in Ireland held by the decent from our Brethren, who purchas'd it with their Blood: These Reflections may prevail for our care of them, at least to any Collony abroad; and we never think it our prejudice to have them thrive, nor would the growth of Ireland, if rightly dis∣posed

or understood: And here give me leave to make a Digression, if it may be call'd so, but you may think it not Foreign to the Discourse.

I find it generally believed that Ireland is as mischievous to our Trade in time of Peace, as it is destructive to our Men and Treasure in time of War; and though this Opinion never went far with me, yet something I did doubt was in it, until I met with something that gave plain Demonstration to the contrary, and it was this:

I fell into an intire acquaintance with a Gentle∣man of Ireland, whose experience and long conti∣nuance in all the Foreign Trade of that Kingdom furnished him with Arguments I could not answer, to prove that England was a great Gainer by the Trade of Ireland. When I could not confute him, nor he prevail with me; he told me he would shew me that which carried Authority with it; and so he did, being as he assur'd me, the work of some years, as he could spare time to compose it: The whole Discourse takes up many Sheets upon the Trade of Ireland to all parts, and par∣ticular Remarks upon every Commodity Expor∣ted and Imported into that Kingdom; and where, and how it affects England. Some other things he reserv'd as Secrets from me, as he doth the rest from others; for it was never seen by any but one beside my self. Out of the whole, he hath extracted an Account of the Exports and Imports for one year in a medium out of six; and then di∣stinguish'd what related to England, by what Ships brought in and out; then computed the Value of

each Commodity, and to what they were Impro∣ved, being Manufactor'd in England, and then what Money in Specie, or Bills of Exchange, which is the same, was returned from Foreign Parts to England, out of the Proceed of Goods sent from Ireland; all which appear'd, (being brought up to a Sum) that England Gained by Ireland Two Millions Sterling per Annum: It seem'd to me an Incredible thing; but being (as he affirms) Matter of Fact, for which he hath the ac∣count of the Customs, it is not to be denyed; the breviate is drawn in so plain and intelligible a Me∣thod, as renders it easie to any Understanding, and therefore to mine: I would fain have prevailed with him to Print the whole Matter, but he thinks it may be made use of a better way; and affirms that as great as this looks, yet it might be improved to much more, if the Trade of Ireland were dispos'd as it might be to the Advantage of England: But he said that Kingdom was in no Reign since the first Conquest of Ireland consulted in its Trade, but left to its self, or treated like an Enemy: All the use made of it was for Courtiers Men of Projection and Necessity to Traffick, and dispose it into Grants, Imployments, and Offices and so made it rather a Forest for Game, than a Plantation for Trade and Commerce; and that which continued it so in the Reign of Charles the Second, was the Jealousies and Mistakes of Eng∣land, believing it grew too fast, and incroached on their Trade, though it is demonstrable Ireland doth us no hurt, but where we by our own Laws force it; and that Act (pardon the expression) like Lunaticks, that strive to suppress their Shadows for fear they should assault them.

None will say, England would be the worse if it were double the Acres it now is; And though the Sea part us from Ireland, may not Laws make us one in our Interest and Trade; and so that Ireland may be more profitable to England in General, than Wales, or any County in England is to the whole in its proportion. There never was so fair an opportunity for Inriching this Nation by Ireland, as now it is by Divine Providence once put a Blank in our hands, in which His Majesty may stamp what he pleases: And we have reason to believe, That He who ventures His Royal Person so freely for the Preservation of these Kingdoms, will not deny us any thing that can contribute to our Growth in Trade and Treasure. One thing I must not omit, which I had from this Gentleman of Ireland, that to me seems valid for Confirmation of all he asserts, That Ireland nei∣ther Interferes with, nor gains on England; for that in the last Twenty Years of Irelands greatest Prosperity, not one Man in England purchased in Ireland; but Numbers of Ireland have in that time purchased in England, as they of that King∣dom, I mean the English always do, as they In∣crease their Fortunes. This being so, Ireland is to England a Mine of Treasure, and affects us, though in a much larger Proportion; as New-found-Land, Hudson's-Bay, whatever is gained in them, terminates in England. Here I end with the Pamphlet, of which I shall only say, If the Matter of Fact be truly Related, as by the Au∣thority he gives, we have reason to believe it is, then there is plain Demonstration that Ireland hath been, and may be made much more profitable to

this Kingdom, then most of our Foreign Plantati∣ons: Of them we take great care; and why not more of this, since it lies so near, and costs us so dear, seems unaccountable: The truth is, our Ancestours had never such a happy Juncture to do it, as we have now to secure it: If therefore we lay not hold on the opportunity put into our hands, we cannot answer it so well as they might.

The Numbers of Refugees here, and in other Countreys near us, are Objects in this case, both for our Charity to them, and Advantage to our selves.

There hath been for several Sessions of Parlia∣ment much talk of the Forfeitures of Ireland; and that it was reasonable they should be Sold, and made a Fund to raise Money towards the carrying on the present War; which might be thought rea∣sonable for us of England to press, because it would ease us of so much in our Taxes: But why the Gentlemen of Ireland were so busie to promote it, was at first to me a question, and set me on the Inquiry; and from some of themselves I had this answer, That though they could not deny but the benefit of those Forfeitures were justly due to us of England, yet the Justice of the thing was not all the motive they had to promote it; but their own future security was at least as much con∣sider'd by them, for that they hoped the Sale of those Forfeited Lands would put them in Prote∣stant hands, and by that, strengthen the British Interest in Ireland, which could never be secure, whilst the Irish held so great a proportion in the Kingdom; and that whilst the Land lay undispo∣sed, they fear'd the Irish would find wayes to be

restor'd, they having got enough by their Robberies and Plunder of the English to purchase them, though they cost them Ten Years purchase: And that they were in fear also of the Irish buying from such as had great Grants of Forfeited Lands; but if there was a Publick Sale, they would come in∣to so many hands, that most of them would stick with the Purchaser, and not come to the Irish. They further said, It was not the Interest of Eng∣land to let the Forfeitures come again into the Irish hands; for that they never Improved, nor Traded, and so were no wayes profitable to England. If this apprehension of the Protestants be valid, either to them, or us, it seems that a disposition of these Forfeitures of Ireland to Pro∣testant Strangers would answer all objections, and be a more certain way to keep such Lands of Ireland out of Irish hands, then by selling them to the English; for by that they would be to greater value in one Mans hand, and the English would for advantage sell them to the Irish Proprietors; for that few Purchasers would go to settle on their Lands, nor could they find Tenants in the Coun∣trey, since there is so much Land waste; but if Foreigners had it in small Proportions, they would be able to manage it themselves, and so keep it from returning to the Irish. I have been longer on this of the Forfeitures, then perhaps will be thought proper, since my Subject is Trade: But since it hath relation to the Improvement of Ireland in the way of Trade, this Digression I hope will be excus'd.

I return then to shew, how the bringing in Re∣fugees to Ireland will advance the Trade of Eng∣land, and that may appear in three particulars.

The Increase of People in Ireland will occasion the Expence of Manufactories and Product of Eng∣land; for that they have from England, or would, if the Laws of that Kingdom in Relation to the Customs were duely executed, most of the fine Draperies, Silk, Iron Manufactory, Haberdashers-Wares, Hats, Sadlers Wares, Tapes, Pins, and other small Manufactories.

Also from England they have all the hopes, white Salt, Coals, Brass Commodities, Tobacco, Su∣gars, and Groceryes.

They also Imploy, or should so, if due care was taken in the Act of Navigation, the Ships of England; all which would be considerably ad∣vanced, if that Kingdom were improved by Fo∣reigners.

2. Foreigners would Inlarge the Linnen Ma∣nufactory in Ireland, to which no part of Europe is most proper: And there is already a beginning and aptness in the Irish to that Manufactory; and however, it is not the Interest of England, that Ireland should grow in the Woollen Manufactory; yet it is that, that they should in the Linnen and Cordage: But of this I shall in the Second Part, when I come to Discourse at large of the Trade of Ireland, say more.

3. The bringing Foreign Protestants into Ire∣land will Inlarge the Fishings there: Great part of which will be to the Advantage of England, as would the General Improvement of Ireland be, if it were dispos'd to such Trade and Navigation as might be subservient and helpful to ours: But to make Laws with design to keep them Poor, is not unlike him that set his own House on Fire,

that his Neighbours might be burnt; keeping Ireland Poor, and discouraging the Protestant In∣terest there, puts that Kingdom in the hands of the Irish, and that renders it not only unprofitable to England, but dangerous the management of Ire∣land. Since the first Conquest will not be Credi∣ted in future Ages, and although we must own, of a Nation that hath the best Constitution in Go∣vernment, we have alwayes been unhappy in the Administration; yet I think in nothing so much, as in the Neglect of Trade, and in that of Ire∣land; which any Nation but we, would make a Treasure of; and we Imploy all our skill to make it an Aceldama: It hath been so to this poor Kingdom; and if relation be true, is in a ready way to be so again. They in whose Province it is, will consider the Politick part, my business is Trade; and in that I will venture to say, Ireland might be made more profitable to England than all the Foreign Plantations have ever yet been. I con∣fess New-England, and Newfound-Land may be made more than altogether; but that which makes Ireland of more Consideration to England than all the rest, is, because without keeping that, we can enjoy none of the rest. It is every days Re∣fuge for our Merchant-Men, and not to be forgot∣ten, how soon after this Reduction it saved our Smirna and Levant Fleet.