The political anatomy of Ireland with the establishment for that kingdom when the late Duke of Ormond was Lord Lieutenant ... : to which is added Verbum sapienti, or, An account of the wealth and expences of England, and the method of raising taxes in the most equal manner ... / by Sir William Petty ...

Several Miscellany Remarks and Intimations, concerning Ireland, and the several Mat∣ters aforementioned.

WIthout recourse to the Authority of Story, but rather diligently ob∣serving the Law and Course of Nature, I conjecture, that whatever is fabled of the Phoenicians, Scythians, B••scayers, &c. their first Inhabiting of Ireland; that the places near Carrickfergus were first peopled, and that with those, who came from the parts of Scotland opposite thereunto. For that Ireland was planted by some body in Caesar's time, is most certain. That the Art of Navigation was not before Caesar's time so well understood and practis'd, as to bring Men from any other Part of the World thither, save from Great Britain: That from St. Davids-head in South-Wales, and from Holy-head in North-Wales; Ireland is not clearly at any time discern'd, nor often at all. That the Inhabitants of those two Brittish Head-lands had neither Boats sit to pass that Sea, is most probable. But that Carrickfergus may be always seen from Scotland, is well known; and that a small

Boat may Row over in three or four hours, is experienc'd. That the Language of those Parts differ very little. That the Country about Carrickfergus is far better than that of Scotland opposite. That the chief Bishops Seat of Ireland, and proba∣bly the first, is near those Parts, are all no∣torious Truths. From all which 'tis more probable, that Ireland was first Peopled from Scotland, than all the other remote Parts aforementioned.

It hath been much observed, That the Lieutenants and Chancellors of Ireland have often been at variance; the reason whereof seems to be at their Powers, and too near an Equilibrium; for the Lieute∣nant Commands an Army perhaps of 3000, and the Chancellor makes 900 Ju∣stices of Peace, who make 2500 Consta∣bles, which are the Civil Sword, who Act in times of Peace, and every where, and in all matters; whereas the Army acts only upon rare occasions, and are more Mercenary Men. So as the Civil-Sword seems of far more extent and effect than the Military-Sword.

The Lieutenant disposes perhaps of four or five hundred Places and Imployments; but the Chancellor, of the said nine hundred

Justices of Peace, and several others. The Lieutenant can hurt very few Persons, who do not depend upon the favour of Imploy∣ments; but the Chancellor can affect all Men, of Estates and Dealing in the World, by the Power of his Court, and by the Harmony of his own Will with the King's Conscience.

The Lieutenant is for the most part a Stranger to Ireland; but the Chancellor sel∣dom such, but a Person of great Family and Acquaintance. Moreover, all the Lieutenants, Deputies, and Lords Justices, that have been these 150 years, have not, one with another, continued two years in the Office; but the Chancellors have much more, and are seldom remov'd but by Death, and General Revolutions. The Chancellor has ordinarily some other Dig∣nity and Office annex'd, for they be of∣ten Eminent Prelates and Church-men; but the Lieutenant is confin'd to Tempo∣rals. The Chancellor is Speaker in Par∣liament, and by keeping the Seal, can check the Lieutenant in many cases. The Chancellors are bred to Eloquence and Arguing; the breeding of a Lieutenant is casual.

Men that bring great Estates into Ire∣land, do not encrease them proportionably with them who come over with nothing. Not to quote the Examples hereof on both sides, the reason seems not to be very ab∣struse, viz.

The Language of Ireland is like that of the North of Scotland, in many things like the Welch and Manques; but in Ireland the Fingallians speak neither English, Irish, nor Welch; and the People about Wexford, tho they agree in a Language differing from English, Welch, and Irish, yet 'tis not the same with that of the Fingalians near Dub∣lin. Both these two sorts of People are honest and laborious Members of the King∣dom.

The Irish Language, and the Welch, as also all Languages that have not been the Languages of flourishing Empires, where∣in were many Things, many Notions and Fancies, both Poetical and Philosophical, hath but few words; and all the names of Artificial things brought into use, since the Empire of these Linguists ceased, are ex∣pressed in the language of their Conquerors, by altering the Termination and Accents only.

Ireland is now divided into Provinces, Counties, Baronies, Parishes, and Farm∣lands, and those, so as that they may be, and have been Geometrically delineated; but formerly it was not so, but the Country was cal'ed by the names of the Lords who governed the People. For as a Territory bounded by Bogs, is greater or lesser as the Bog is more dry and passible, or otherwise: So the Country of a Grandee or Tierne in Ireland, became greater or lesser as his For∣ces waxed or weaned; for where was a large Castle and Garison, there the Juris∣diction was also large.

And when these Grandees came to make peace, and parts one with another, the li∣mits of their Land-agreements were no lines Geometrically drawn; but if the Rain fell one way, then the Land whereon it fell, did belong to A. if the other way, to B. &c.

As to their Town-lands, Plough-lands, Colps, Gneeres, Bullibos, Ballibelaghs, Two's, Horsmens, Beds, &c. they are all at this day become unequal both in Quanti∣ty and Value, having been made upon grounds which are now Obsolete and Anti∣quated.

For sometimes lands were divided by what certain Societies of men held, which I con∣ceive were Town-lands or Tythings.

Sometimes by Plow-lands, viz. such a — of Lands as contained enough of every species of Land Arrable, Meadow, and Pasture, Mountain, Turf-bog, Wood, &c. as serv'd for the whole Use of man, es∣pecially of the Owner of such a Plow∣land.

Sometimes by the Share or Proportion of Land, which an Undertaker would engage to plant and defend according to Arti∣cles.

Sometimes by the Share which each Ser∣vitor had given him in reward for his Service, after a Rebellion or Insurrecti∣on.

Sometimes by what belonged to the Cell of some Religious Man or Men. But now all the Lands are Geometrically divided, and that without abolishing the Ancient Deno∣minations and Divisions abovementioned. So that it is yet wanting to prevent the vari∣ous spelling of Names not understood, that some both comprehending the Names of all publick Denominations according as they are spelled in the latest Grants, should be set out by Authority to determine the

same for the time to come. And that where the same Land hath other Names, or hath been spelled with other Conscription of Let∣ters or Syllables, that the same be mentioned with an alias. Where the publick and new authenticated Denominations is part of a greater antiquated Denomination, that it be so expressed, as by being called the East, West, South or North part thereof. And if the said Denomination comprehend several obsolete or inconsiderable Parcels, that the same be expressed likewise.

The last Clause of the Explanatory Act, enabled men to put new Names on their re∣spective Lands, instead of those uncouth, unintelligible ones yet upon them. And it would not be amiss if the significant part of the Irish Names were interpreted, where they are not, or cannot be abolished.

SOME have thought that little Shipping belongs to Ireland, by the great Policy of the English, who (as they wittily expres∣sed it) would keep the Chain or Draw∣Bridge between both Kingdoms, on the Eng∣lish side: But I never perceived any Impe∣diment of Building, or having Ships in Ire∣land, but mens own indisposition thereunto, either for not having Stock for so charge∣able a Work, or not having Workmen of sorts enough to sit out a Ship in all particu∣lars; as for that they could hire Ships cheaper from the Dutch, than to build them; or, that the Irish had rather eat Potatos and Milk on dry Land, than contest with the Wind and Waves with better Food; or that there is not encouragement, to a full Employ∣ment, for an able Ship-wright to reside in Ire∣land. Nevertheless at this day there belongs to several Ports of Ireland Vessels between 10 and 200 Tuns, about 8000 Tuns of seve∣ral sorts and Sizes: And there are Five Light-Houses erected for the safety of sail∣ing upon the Coasts.

Concerning the Ambergreece, taken upon the Western Coasts of Ireland, I could ne∣ver

receive any clear satisfaction, neither of its Odor, nor any other Vertue, nor what use was or could be made of that Stuff which has been so call'd, which is of several Ap∣pearances.

What is said of the Herb Mackenbory, is fa∣bulous, only that 'tis a Tythemal, which will purge furiously, and of which there are vast quantities in that part of Kerry call'd Desmond, where the Arbutus Tree groweth in great numbers and beauty.

There be in Ireland not ten Iron Furna∣ces, but above 20 Forges and Bloomeries, and but one Lead-work, which was ever wrought, tho many in view, which the pretended Patents of them have hindred the working of. There is also a place in Kerry, fit for one Allum-work, attempted, but not fully proceeded upon.

There are in the West of Ireland, about 20 Gentlemen, who have engaged in the Pilchard-fishing, and have among them all about 160 Saynes, wherewith they some∣times take about 4000 Hogshheads of Pil∣chards per Ann. worth about 10,000 l. Cork, Kingsale, and Bantry are the best pla∣ces for eating of Fresh Fish, tho Dublin be not, or need not be ill supplied with the same.

The Clothing-Trade is not arrived to what it was before the late Rebellion. And the Art of making the excellent, thick, spun∣gy, warm Coverlets, seems to be lost, and not yet recovered.

Near Colrane is a Salmon-Fishing, where several Tuns of Salmon have been taken at one Draught, and in one Season.

The English in Ireland before Henry the VII's time, lived in Ireland as the Euro∣pians do in America, or as several Nations do now upon the same Continent; so as an Englishman was not punishable for killing an Irish-man, and they were governed by dif∣fere••t Laws; the Irish by the Brehan-Law, and the English there by the Laws of Eng∣land.

Registers of Burials, Births and Marri∣ages, are not yet kept in Ireland, though of late begun in Dublin, but imper∣fectly.

English in Ireland, growing poor and dis∣contented, degenerate into Irish; & vice versa; Irish, growing into Wealth and Fa∣vour, reconcile to the English.

Eleven Iri•••• Miles make 14 English, accor∣ding to the proportion of the Irish Perch of 21 Feet, to the English of 16••.

The admeasurement of Land in Ireland, hath hitherto been made with a Circum∣ferencer, with a Needle of 3⅔ long, as the most convenient Proportion; but 'twill be henceforth better done by the help of some old Geometrical Theoremes, joyn'd with this new property of a Circle, demonstra∣ted by Dr. R. Wood.