A plea for the bringing in of Irish cattel, and keeping out of fish caught by foreigners together with an humble address to the honourable members of Parliament of the countries of Cornwal and Devon, about the advancement of tin, fishery, and divers manufactures / by John Collins.

Some of the OBSERVATIONS made by W.P. upon the Trade of IRISH CATTEL.

1. THat the value of the Oxen and Sheep (their Hides, Tallow, and Skins deducted) which were ever imported in one year out of Ire∣land into England, were never worth above 80000 l. nor above the hundredth part of the Rents of Land in England, nor above the hundredth part of the Butchers meat yearly spent in England.

2. That Ireland never yet did, nor could spare, as many Sheep and Oxen alive or dead, as would maintain a fifth part more People than now it hath, that is to say, than would maintain about 1300000 People, of which number there are about 1100000 now in Ireland.

3. Whereas Ireland contains three quarters as much Land as England and Wales, and there be above 6000000 of People in England it follows, that if Ireland can furnish Flesh meat but unto 1300000, that E••gland cannot with equal plenty furnish meat unto said 6000000.

4. The Owners of breeding Lands have since the Prohibition not gotten above 10 s. per Head more for their Cattel than before it which the Owners of the feeding Lands have paid them and lost. Moreover the Mariners of England have lost the getting of 9 s. 6 d. per Head for Freight and Primage, and the People of England have lost 4 s. 6 d. per Head more for driving and grazing; the King hath lost 3 s. 6 d. per Head for Custom on both sides, besides Officers Fees; and the Traders in Hides and Tallow have lost what they might have gained out of 15 s. per Head; and the Merchants and Arti∣zans of England have lost yearly what they might have gained by 140000 l. worth of English Manufactures; the Wool-growers of England have lost as much as their Wool is fallen; by reason of the extraordinary Sheep-walks now in Ireland; the Landlords of Ireland resident in England, have lost 5 per∣cent. extraordinary for exchange of Money. Lastly, the Bulk of the People of England have losts one Half-peny for every pound of Flesh meat they have spent, amounting for all England unto about 2000000 per annum, of which great sum, the Owners even of breeding Lands have paid three times more in the enhansement of Wages and Manufactures, than they got by the raised price of their Cattel above-mentioned.

5. Since this Prohibition, the Papists in Ireland (who are 800000 in num∣ber) have gotten a Dispensation from Rome to eat Flesh five days in the week, whereas formerly they did but four, in which extraordinary day of Indul∣gence, there is as much meat spent by the Papists in a year, as ever was brought into England.

6. Although a Beast worth 40 s. might be brought out of Ireland even to London for about 20 s. yet the Land of England generally taken is worth five times as much, Acre for Acre, as the Lands of Ireland generally taken; neither can the Lands of Ireland rise up to a level of value with those in England, without the Mission of some millions of People more into Ireland than now are there, nor without the expence of more Millions in buildings and improvements, than all Ireland now is worth; nor can the Lands of England fall down to a level with those in Ireland, without vast Depopulations and Devastations preceding.

Every of the before-mentioned particulars can be readily proved from grounds of Sense, known, granted, or Authentique.

Here it is not improper to acquaint the Reader, that Ireland be∣fore the Rebellion was planted with Native Irish, and the Lands were in their possession; but now after so great a Desolation, and Destruction as the Wars made, most of the Lands were planted and peopled by the English and Scotch, who adventured their Lives and Fortunes in reducing it, who carried over with them the best Cattel, Horses, and Sheep, England could afford, where they have raised such a Breed, as will compare with the best in England for largeness and fatness, and the Wool, Butter, and Cheese there raised, is not infe∣riour to what is made in England for goodness, and yet notwith∣standing they have many lean Cattel to spare, but their Sheep need no fattening.

The Laws there are made by a Parliament, consisting of most English and Scotch, with aim especially to encourage the making of Cloth and Woollen Manufactures, to the end, they may supply Foreign Markets, which they doubt not to effect ere long at half the price English Cloth goes at: And they do by their Laws discourage the bringing of their Wool into England, and have laid a great Custom upon all Cloth, Stuffs, Stockings, and Hats, that shall be imported out of England. This they do acknowledge in Print, and that they have furnished Holland, Flanders, France, Portugal, Spain, and the Streights: plentifully with Provisions, namely, Beef at 9 or 10 s. the hundred weight; confessing, that not only English, but other Nations have their Factors residing in Ireland, to buy up Beef, Fish, Tallow, and Hides, and that all their Ports are well stored with Shipping, whereby they supply all those Parts with Provision, and make their returns with those Commodities the Kingdom can vend, which they can have much cheaper than from England, and the Sur∣plus

plus they return in Money: This I take out of a Sheet, printed with Allowance by J.B. in 1677.