The Interest of England in the Preservation of Ireland, Part 1
I. The Advantage to the Kingdom of ENGLAND in General.
I Expect to be abſolved from the Imputation of Flattery and Partiality, when I take upon me to make this aſſeveration; That nothing out of England doth, or can rationally conduce more to the Honor, Wealth, and Proſperity of that Kingdom, than the Addition and Conjunction of Ireland: A Country abounding with all things that contribute to Pleaſure and Comfort, and richly endowed with the Bleſſings of Heaven and Earth; ſcituated by Nature as a Poſtern-gate to England; by which ſhe may diſcharge all manner of Commodities which are ſupernumerary or unneceſſary, to the great encouragement of Navigation and Trade; and through which an entrance is given for a continual ſupply of ſuch things as the One may ſtand in need of, and the other may conveniently ſpare.
I ſhall endeavour to make good this Aſſertion, by ſubdividing this Conſideration into the following particulars.
1. The Revenue.
2. The Fertility and Plenty.
3. The Number.
4. The Religion.
5. The Conſanguinity and Affinity.
6. The Employments Eccleſiaſtical, Civil, and Military.
I propoſe theſe as ſo many irrefragable Arguments, to convince the World, That the Kingdom of Ireland has not only a Self-ſufficiency within it to ſubſiſt without dependency, and to grow rich by its own peculiar Traffick; but alſo, that by being annexed to England, ſubjected to the Government, and incorporated into its Religion and Laws; it extends the Dominion, ſtrengthens the Hands, and augments the Wealth of that happy and renowned Nation. Firſt, let us take notice of the Revenue.
I. The REVENƲE.
The Revenue of Ireland was under a ſenſible declination from the commencement of the late King's Reign, occaſioned by the daily Decay of Trade, and that by the diſcouragement given to Proteſtants, thro' whoſe hands almoſt the whole Commerce and current Money was wont to circulate; and at length was ſo viſibly impaired, that in the year 1688. the Publick Treaſury was utterly exhauſted; and I have no reaſon to believe that it has ſince that time been recruited by any conſiderable Imburſements, (for I ſuppoſe the French Money is in a Treaſury diſtinct, and iſſuable only at the diſcretion of the French Dictator, whoſe Orders are not to open his Treaſure, till they land in England:) Therefore I deduce my Remarks from the latter end of the Reign of Charles the Second, about which time the Publick Revenue was managed by Commiſſioners appointed by the King, by whoſe Diligence and Application it was notably improved; and it conſiſted in divers Branches, as,
Crown-Rents.
Quit-Rents.
Cuſtoms and Exciſe.
Inland-Exciſe.
Hearth-Money.
Wine and Ale Licenſes.
Fines and Forfeitures.
Firſt-Fruits, &c. of the Clergy.
All which did amount, communibus Annis, to about Three Hundred and forty thouſand Pounds.
Out of this Fund was derived the Maintenance and Pay of an Army, conſiſting of ſeven Regiments of Foot, three of Horſe, and one of Dragoons: Exhibitions to the Judges ſedent, and itinerant, and to all other Officers of the Civil Liſt: a noble Allowance to the Chief Governor, a competent Salary to the Lord Chancellor, and all the Officers of State: a large Proviſion for all other Charges neceſſary, or contingent: and upon the Audit of the whole Receipts and Disburſements, a very conſiderable ſum remain'd, moſt of which was remitted into England, ſome diſpoſed of in Ireland, for Penſions, Secret Service, and other Occaſions, at the King's Will and Pleaſure.
II. The Fertility, and Plenty.
Ireland doth abound with an Exuberance of Plenty in all things conducing to a pleaſant, and comfortable Living. The Ground, without the Midwifery of humane Art, brings forth Graſs for the Cattel, and Herbs for the uſe of man in great Abundance; but where the Husbandman hath clubb'd his Invention and Labour, it is rather luxuriant, rendring a mighty Increaſe of all ſorts of Grain, very ſound, and very good Indeed, Nature hath open'd her Stores, and, like a kind Mother, hath liberally beſtow'd her Bleſſings on that Iſland; The Earth ſeems to ſtand in Competition with the Water for the Pre-eminence: the one overloaded with its own Product; the other, overſtockt by its proper Inhabitants: the infinite Store of Corn of all ſorts, the pleaſant Studds of Horſes and Mares, the numerous Herds of Cattel, the vaſt Flocks of Sheep (in moſt Places exceeding thoſe of England in their Size) is even to admiration: neither do I brag, when I ſay, that the beſt Parts of Ireland are in every Reſpect (except the Improvement) equal to the beſt Parts in England; and that the worſt Parts of it are not ſo bad and barren as the worſt Parts of the other: Or when I challenge England it ſelf to ſhew ſo vaſt a Tract of rich and excellent Land lying together, as is to be ſeen from Carlingford all the way to Dublin, from thence (excluding the Mountains of Wicklow) to Carlow; from thence through part of Queens and Kings County, ſo croſs the Shannon, and round by Longford to Roſcommon: in which vaſt Tract of Land, at leaſt fourſcore Miles ſquare, there is not ſo much barren Land, as is to be found in two Shires only in England (and not far from London) Berkſhire and Surrey. The Seas are plentifully ſtor'd with Fiſh of all Kinds, and the Markets ſupply'd with ſuch Plenty and Variety, as might ſatiate the Luxury and Prodigality of Lucullus: the Loughs are fill'd with Pike, Breme, Pearch, Roach, and Trouts; but the Freſh Rivers ſwarm with ſtupendious Quantities. If men (as juſtly they may) ſhall become doubtful, ſcrupulous, and incredulous, when I make mention of the extraordinary Pilchard-Fiſhings in the South, and the Herring-Fiſhings in the North; my Credit will certainly run a great Riſque, and my Veracity be ſuſpected, when I relate the Wonders of the Deep, and come to ſpeak of the Prodigious Fiſhings for Salmon and Eels in the Rivers of Lough-foyl, and the Bann. If men will ſtartle at the Report of ſix thouſand Barrels of Pilchards made in one year upon the Coaſt of the County of Cork; or to hear, that in ſome Parts of Conaught they take ſo great Draughts of them, that, not being provided of Salt to cure them, they lay them in heaps, and manure the Land with them: that (beſide the plentiful Fiſhing of Herrings in and about the Bay of Dublin, the Skerryes, Carlingford, and all the Northern Coaſt) they have uſually made and ſent away in one year two thouſand Tuns of Herrings from the ſingle Fiſhing at Dunfanaghan: then undoubtedly they will ſmile, and ridicule me, when I tell them, That there is made commonly five hundred Tuns of Salmon in a year, in Loghfoyl, and the Bann, and other Rivers in the County of Londonderry; that beſides the Royal Piſcary of the Bann, there are between Colrane and Loghneagh ſeventy Salmon-Fiſhings; that there are the ſame round about that Lough, which is ſixty Miles in Compaſs; that at the Leap of Colrane, ten Tuns of Salmon have been taken at one Draught of a Net: That the laſt year at the Grebbin, twelve Miles beyond Londonderry, two and thirty Hogſheads of Salmon were taken at once, and for want of room in their Boats, a great part of them thrown again into the River: That in the Eel-weres, in the River of Bann, fourſcore thouſand Eels have been catcht in one Night. But I have ſpoken modeſtly, and within compaſs, and there are too many Witneſſes (much againſt their wills) now in England and Scotland, who can confirm the Truth of what I have declared. I am loth to paſs by the Salmon-Pound (commonly call'd the Cutt) near Colrane, becauſe, as I conceive, ſuch another thing is not in the World: It is a great Trough, made like a Tanner's Vat, about fifty foot long, twenty foot wide, and ſix deep; a Stream of the River of Bann runs through it, and at the Place where the Water enters, a row of Stakes are placed very near together, like a Rack in a Stable; at the other end of the Cutt a parcel of ſharp Spikes are cluſtered together, very cloſe at the Point, and wide at the Head, ſo that the Salmons (who always ſwim againſt the Stream) and other Fiſh, may get in at pleaſure, but can neither return the way they went in, nor get out at the other end; whereby it happens, that on Monday morning (there being a reſpite to Fiſhing all Sunday, and none taken out of the Cutt with their Loops) a Stranger would be aſtoniſh'd to ſee an innumerable company of Fiſh riding on the backs of one another, even to the top of the Water, and with great eaſe, and pleaſant Divertiſement, taken up in Loops.
All theſe prodigious Quantities of Fiſh are but collected for the Uſe of England; to whoſe Ports, or to whoſe Order, they are yearly conſigned, and diſtributed.
III. The NƲMBER.
Having had no Buſineſs, or Imployment, which might adminiſter an Opportunity to inſpect the Catalogues and Returns of Pariſhes and Counties, or to view the Poll-Books; it will not be poſſible for me to make any other than a conjectural Calculation of the Number of Proteſtant Inhabitants in Ireland. But by a modeſt Computation I may adventure to aver, That at the beginning of the Reign of the Late King, there were in the City of Dublin, and the Four Provinces, above a Million of Britiſh Proteſtants. I am confirm'd in this Suppoſition by a ſad Reflection upon the Paſſages in the Year 1641. at which time the Number of the Proteſtants was very inconſiderable in compariſon with the Natives; and poſſibly did not amount to the Half of what they were in 1681. yet even then above two hundred thouſand, naked and defenceleſs People, were maſſacred in cold Blood, and barbarouſly murther'd without Provocation, or Reſiſtance. I reckon, that when the late Revolution hapned, there were two hundred thouſand men fit to carry Arms, bound to the Intereſt of England by the Obligations of Religion, Love, Loyalty and Blood; who may be beneficial in their Service and Aid, when it ſhall be required; though of late (by the apparent Judgment of God) they have been terrified by them, on whom they alway had an awe; routed by ſuch, whoſe Strength they d…ed; and diſpoſſeſt of their Eſtates, without ſtrugling for their Property.
IV. The RELIGION.
Among all the preſſing Motives, that recommend the Care and Conſervation of Ireland, there is no one more cogent, than the Conſideration of the Religion there eſtabliſh'd by Law: which reaſonably ought to intereſs all good Chriſtians in a feeling-Sympathy and Concernment for them; and thereby the People of England have a fit Opportunity, at once equally to exert their Duty to God, and Charity to their Brethren. It is true, the Proteſtant Religion was not univerſally profeſs'd through the Kingdom, neither were all who were diſtinguiſh'd by that Character, perfectly cemented; the Papiſts were numerous in every County, (tho leaſt of all in Ʋlster); yet Popery ſeemed to be rather Hereditary than Elective; to be more the Reſult of Education, than Judgment; inſomuch, as it became like a Logical Property to the Natives, and Papiſt and Iriſh man were Terms convertible: So great an Influence has Cuſtom over all the Faculties of Mind and Body; they put on Religion as a faſhionable Garment, the Dictate of the Prieſt warranting the mode; and thick Ignorance inflames their Devotion. Nevertheleſs the Proteſtant Religion was predominant; Popery ſneak'd to the Mountains, and ſquatted behind the Buſhes; the Maſs was not known, nor a Fryar ſeen, till by the Influence of the Late King, and the furious Zeal of his Deputy, things were changed as it were in a moment, and all Commands Civil and Military, committed to the Hands of Papiſts. But when, by the Bleſſing of God, and the Aſſiſtance of England, that poor haraſſed Country ſhall be reſtored to its former State and Condition, it will be a joyful Reflection for their Brethren and Benefactors, to hear of ſo many Thouſand Perſons united with them in the ſame Religion, as in all other Reſpects and Concernments.
V. The Conſanguinity and Aſſinity.
The Inhabitants of Ireland, (excluding the Natives of the Land, who always were, and ever will be Thorns in our Sides; and who, ſince the firſt Conqueſt of them, were never able to accompliſh that Deſign which was bequeath'd from Generation to Generation, till this late unhappy Juncture) do not derive their Pedigree from Strangers; they are the legitimate Offspring of England and Scotland; there is ſcarce a Man there of Britiſh Extraction, except ſuch as by very long continuance are degenerated into mere Iriſh, but in one of thoſe Kingdoms will Challenge a Father, Brother, or near Kinſman. They are not eſtranged in their Language, Habit, Manners, or Cuſtoms; they retain the natural Propenſions diſſeminated from their reſpective Families, and own a filial Reverence to their Countries, as to their lawful Parents (not their Step mothers) who not being able to make a competent Proviſion for all their Iſſue at home, have ſent ſome of their Children abroad, to ſeek for their Livelihood on the other ſide of the Ferry; where in their Manners and Humour, they bear an exact Reſemblance to that Original, whereof they are the Tranſcript; except only in their profuſe Hoſpitality, and luxurious Conſumption of Meat and Drink (to which, perhaps, they are inclined by the Conſtitution of the Air, or diſpoſed by the Genius of the Country, or tempted by the incredible Plenty and Cheapneſs of all ſorts of Proviſions) yet in their Language they have gone beyond their Teachers, having refined the Engliſh Tongue from the odd Tones, and uncouth words uſed in ſeveral Counties diſtant from London; and reformed the Scotch from the Clowniſh Dialect ſpoken by the vulgar People. So that the People of England are bound in Conſcience and common Reaſon, to regard the Engliſh in Ireland, as Bone of their Bone, and Fleſh of their Fleſh; and the Scots as naturalized and incorporated with them, to ſympathize with them in their Sufferings, to participate in their Adventures, and from the Principles of Generoſity, as well as the Impulſe of Nature, and a prudential Foreſight of the ſame Calamities hovering over their Heads, to uſe their utmoſt Effort to re-aſſure that Kingdom in its Appendage to England, and abſolutely to eradicate the Iriſh Papiſts and all French Intruders.
VI. The Imployments, Eccleſiaſtical, Civil and Military.
Since England is bounded by the Sea, and cannot be inlarged by the Diſcovery of any Newfound Land; ſince the Inhabitants are as fruitful as the Soil, Prolific, and continually multiplying and increaſing; ſince the Vigor and Generoſity of their Temper, ſpurs them on to Buſineſs and Activity; and that the Liſt of Places, Offices and Preferments in Church and State, do bear no Proportion with the number of Competitors, Candidates, and Pretenders: It is an unexpreſſible Benefit and Advantage, that they can ſo eaſily inlarge their Quarters, and ſpread through a Kingdom in Polity Subordinate, but in natural Fertility no way Inferior to that from whence they ſprang. I think it very well worth the Obſervation, That among all the Biſhops, Deans, and Dignitaries in the Church of Ireland, (in the firſt year of the late King) ſo very few were born in that Kingdom, but almoſt all of them tranſplanted from England; ſo were the Lord Chancellor, Lord Chief Baron, Attorny General, and many of the Judges and Officers in the Civil Liſt; by ſuch alſo, was the Revenue managed. And for the Army, it was perfectly a Detachment out of the ſeveral Shires in England. In a word, there did Divines and Scholars get Preferment; Lawyers, Attornies, and others of the Long Robe, met with Practice and Promotion; Clerks, Accountants, and Men of ingenious Education, were gratified with Imployments; the younger Sons of the Engliſh Nobility and Gentry, were honoured with Military Commands; and thouſands of the meaner ſort train'd up in the Diſcipline of War. All which muſt have met with a Check in their Fortunes, and been ſubjected to a leſs generous courſe of Living, and remain'd as Shrubs in their own Soil; while by this Tranſplantation they grow up to tall Trees, ſhoot out their Branches, and bring forth abundant of Fruit.