HEre has been lately a design set on foot, for buy­ing in Company all the Wooll not Manu­factur'd in Ireland, and to prevent the Trans­porting it into Forreign Countries, they would be oblig'd to sell it only to the Cloathiers and Manufactors here, as Persons who cannot be supposed to be so ignorant of their own Inte­rests, that they would for some little gain, send Wooll abroad to hinder the Sale of all they shall Work at home. By what Method, and how far this affair proceeded I will shew you as briefly as I can.

1. IN Order to the Erecting this Company, it was humbly offer'd to his Majesty, that in regard the Wooll of Ireland is a Commodity Prohibited, to be Exported out of that Kingdom under great Penalties, by several Statutes there made, (viz.) 13. H. 8. C. 2. 28. H. 8. C. 17. 11. Eliz Ch. 10. 13. Eliz. ch. 4. and notwithstanding those Statutes were made both to hinder the Dutch and other For­reigners from carrying away the Wooll, and to necessitate the Subjects of that Kingdom to Manufacture it at home, (which cannot be done without prejudicing England, by making any other place the Staple for Woollen-Manufactures:) yet from time to time, almost ever since those Laws were Enacted, the chief Governors, by Authority from the Crown, have given Licences to Transport what Wooll could not there be Manufactur'd [Page 2] into England; obliging the Transporters expresly to enter in the Custom▪House every Stone, and to pay the Du­ties impos'd by Act of Customs on that Commodity, when Li­cens'd to be Exported; and to enter into Bond to return Cer­tificate of its being Landed in England.

Notwithstanding all this caution, many Merchants greedy of gain, have adventur'd by stealth to Transport Wooll into France and Holland, (whereby the English Woollen-Manu­factures have been much prejudic'd, and Forreign by conse­quence advanc'd,) for they, if they succeeded in one Voyage of three, were considerable Gainers; so much the rates of the Wooll of Ireland were higher in those Forreign parts than in England.

The Act against bringing the Cattle of Ireland into Eng­land, did Necessitate the People of that Kingdom to breed fewer black Cattle, and fall into the breed of Sheep, whereby that Kingdom has much more Wooll in it, than ever it had be­fore, and is likely to encrease every year; so that if some spee­dy and effectual Regulation be not made in the Trade of the Wooll of Ireland (the Manufacture of that Country not be­ing able to employ the fortieth part of it:) particular persons will, notwithstanding the Laws, venture to Transport it into Forreign Countries, rather than make it a drug at home.

It were therefore to be wish'd, that since none can Trans­port Wooll out of Ireland into England, but by his Majesties License; and that He, or His chief Governour may grant or deny such License to whom they shall think fit, that his Ma­jesty would be graciously pleased to take the whole Wooll­trade of Ireland into his own hands, and advance the Stock ne­cessary to carry it on, which is computed to be about 150000 l. Sterl. & would Employ some honest & knowing Persons to buy up Annually, all the Wooll brought to the Ports for Exporta­tion, at honest and equal Rates, to be adjusted between Buyer and Seller: And faithful and honest Commissioners in Eng­land, to manage the Trade, by which His Majesty will advantage [Page 3] His Subjects of both Kingdoms, and gain into his own Exchequer a sufficient profit: Nor is it unbeseeming his Ma­jesty to be concern'd in a Trade, which, by securing all the Wooll from Forreigners hands, enriches, re-peoples, and strengthens His Subjects and Kingdom, by giving a full em­ployment to all, and adds so many lost hands to the labour of the Publick; seeing other Princes abroad (where the effects are not so glorious) have Stocks going in Trade. The French King in the Manufactures of Lace, Paper, and Salt. The Em­perour of Muscovy, the King of Spain, Portugal, and Duke of Florence are great Merchants.

But if his Majesty thinks not fit to advance the sum requi­site for carrying on his Trade, then others of England and Ire­land will advance the Sum, if the sole liberty of Transporting Wooll be granted to them: They will give constant and suffi­cient Rates for the Wooll to the People of Ireland, as high as they receiv'd formerly from single Merchants: And whereas heretofore they were often forc'd to batter their Wooll for o­ther Commodities at dear and unconscionable rates; or give long days for payment; they will pay them ready money im­mediately upon delivering their Wooll, and engage to Land it all in England; and they will yearly pay unto His Majesties Exchequer of Ireland, 10000 l. Sterl. over and above the usual Fees, to the chief Governour of that Kingdom for granting the Licenses.

This (Sir) is the substance of the Proposal made to his Ma­jesty; but before it was deliver'd, one of the Proposers did long since, in December last, give an acc [...]unt of this whole Af­fair to a person of great Honour; one, as eminent for his Can­dour and Prudence, as for Quality; a Privy Counsellor in both Kingdoms, entreating his Lord [...]hip would promote it, if it prov'd just and rational. He, wisely considering the whole mat­ter, first made his Objections, to which, receiving satisfactory answers, he communicated the business to the most eminent Personages of both Kingdoms; and in March last, writ, If the [Page 4] Stock to carry on this honest design could be rais'd, the grant would be obtain'd, and prove grateful to both Kingdoms: Upon this Encouragement, one of the Proposers hasted into England, attended most of the Persons of Quality of Ireland then here, to receive their sence also in the thing, to which they all consented; afterwards he discours'd the matter with the Factors of Blackwell-Hall, as the likeliest men to know the sense of the Cloathing-men of England, and he satisfied their Objections, partly by discourse, but more by the following Letter,

What power the Reason of this Letter had upon the Per­sons to whom writ, is plain by this Certificate, to which they offer'd, besides their own hands to have thousands more added.

Having these Reasons to perswade himself, he had underta­ken nothing but what would be pleasing and profitable to both Kingdoms, he procur'd a Petition with this Proposal (as to the main) to be delivered to His Majesty, which received a favou­rable report from the two greatest Ministers of State, to whom [Page 12] it was refer'd; hereupon there was in Order to the passing of Letters Patents for the erecting this Company, a Letter fram'd to be sent from His Majesty to His Excellency the Lord Lieu­tenant of Ireland, in which, (among other things,) there was direction for putting a present stop to the Wool Licenses.

When the thing was brought to this fair Issue, the Proposer (with all others that I could hear of) apprehended, there wanted nothing to the perfecting of his design; but gathering Their Subscriptions, who had before promis'd to be of the Company for the raising of the Stock; in Order to this, he went to the Change, where he met one of these Promisers, transform'd in­to a great Opposer of the whole design. He was very loud and clamorous, and though he chang'd none from their Opi­nion of the thing, he frighted some from engaging in what he pretended would be oppos'd. How he came to be alter'd I will not determine, (though some do pretty probably assign his change to a fuller consideration of his private interest) but, give you the mighty Objections which he made by the mouth of another, with their Answers to 'um.

It was Objected all in a breath, that this was a French de­sign in the bottom, what-ever the pretences were to the con­trary, and by I know not what new Logick, this Objection was grounded on the giving the King 10000. l. a year, which by a better consequence, is an insinuation, that His Majesty is a Party in the plot, and could be perswaded by a trifle to con­nive at least, to the undoing of His two Kingdoms.

That it was a Monopoly, and would engross the Exchange between England and Ireland, and in time all other Trades of Ireland; & that this Company could with more security carry the Wooll into France and Holland, than single Merchants, and therefore it would be a greater prejudice to erect this Company, than to leave the Exportation at large as now.

(1.) To the first Objection the Proposer Answer'd, that this was so far from being a French design, that directly or in­directly, never any French man was either spoken to, or con­cern'd [Page 13] cern'd in it; he also affirm'd, he set this business on foot, not to serve any person or party what-ever; but was prompted to it, chiefly by the consideration of its being a publick good, and then that it might be so regulated as it would prove a par­ticular advantage to any that should engage in it; and had it been a French design, it had been unreasonable to believe it would have been propos'd to the Cloathiers of England; to whom it was all along intended to have been communicated, and was so, when once it was known grantable, that They might advance the whole, or the biggest part of the Stock to carry it on.

(2.) That it was not a Monopoly, he prov'd sufficiently in his Letter to them of Blackwell-Hall; to which he added, that nothing can be a Monopoly, but the engrossing into one or few hands a Trade or Commodity by Law left free to all men; and since only Wooll of all the Commodities of Ireland is prohibi­ted by Law to be thence Exported, even into England, this Grant is so far from being a Monopoly, that 'tis (if rightly consider'd) the greatest advantage imaginable to the Interest of England; since if His Majesty thought fit altogether to re­fuse License, (which none can deny, but He may do) 'twould prove greatly prejudicial to this Kingdom; and then, if it be further considered, that by this Grant, there is no more intend­ed than instead of a 100 (supposing that the number of Mer­chants) taking Licenses singly, they should be oblig'd to take them joyn'd in a Company as one man; and no man being ex­cluded this Society, there can be no Prejudice nor Monopoly▪ But if this Company should engross the Exchange, which they can no otherwise do, than by giving and taking Bills at very rea­sonable rates; this moderating the Exchange, would prevent money being carryed out of either Kingdom in Specie; which would be of great advantage, not only to this Company, but to others also; since the unreasonable height of Exchange is found very injurious to Trade.

[Page 14] And as for this Companies Monopolizing in time all other Trades of that Kingdom, This may be, I hope, satisfactorily said, that there is no Commodity in Ireland, except Wooll, the Trade of which can legally be confin'd to a Company; besides, this Company aims at nothing else but the Trade of Wooll, which will certainly be work enough for them to mannage.

The next Objection was, that the Transportation of Wooll would not be more restrainable in Society, than while the trade remains in the hands of single Merchants; which would be fully Answer'd by any Person that considers, that if there be but one Exporter, such a fraud is easier discover'd, than when there are perhaps 200 to commit it: But this Objection will fall, if it appear that it will be this Companies Interest (whether it con­sists of Cloathiers or others) to bring all the Wooll into Eng­land only; in order to this, let the Reader consider what fol­lows, and is transcrib'd almost word for word out of a little piece (which within these three days came to my hands) call'd The Interest of England in the improvement of the Trade of Wooll, &c. writ by a Cloathier, whose words at large are here inserted as being more likely to gain belief.

But so it is (says my Authour) That for some years past, the diligence of Forreigners to enrich themselves upon us, has so far exceeded our care to preserve our selves, that not only, Hol­land, Flanders, and Zealand have long suck'd the sweetness of our Trade; but Fiance is likewise learning to be too hard for us, as is manifest by the great quantities of Wooll that of late years have been Transported from England and Ireland thither; how inju­rious it must be to us, will appear unquestionable, if we consider that every Pack of Wooll sent to▪ France does prevent us, not only of the Manufacture thereof, but of two packs more beside it self; it being combing and combed Wooll for the most part that is Ex­ported thither, the French having no Woolls of their own, but such as are very course, and are not able to make Cloath or fine Stuffs, without the conjunction of ours therewith; there being none to my best information in all the World fit for that purpose, [Page 15] but ours only, except in North-Holland, and that a small quan­tity of fine worsted Woll, all other being likewise course, but Spa­nish Wooll, and that much too fine, especially for Worsted, Stuffs, and not in any wise fit for Combing; so that without Engl sh or Irish Woolls there can be no quantity of fine Worsted Stuffs, nor a middle sort of Cloth made in the whole World. Neither will a­ny VVoll be all mixt together, but English and Spanish (and that for Cloth only) because the Spanish is with the English of one na­ture, onely a little finer; and in proportion the same may be of the Spanish and Irish Wooll; wherfore the exportation of English or Irish Wools into France, must of necessity be greatly prejudicial to this Nation, not only in the Quantity sent over, but also in the advantage which is hereby given to them to manufacture a double proportion of their own Wooll (which otherwise would be little worth) into such Commodities, as spoil us of the advantages of our proper Trades, not onely thither, but also into other Parts in these three Respects.

1. The Combed of the English and Irish Wooll makes Wooff for the warps of the French Wooll (or rather of the Turky Sheep) and so takes up, it may be, as much as the quantity above specified to every pack of our Wooll, without which they can only with their own Wooll make Ruggs, and at the best, Cloath for Sea-men and the meanest Pesants.

2. Their Combing or pinions (viz.) the short Wooll that is Comb'd out of the Worsted serves for their Linnen Warp to make some of their Druggets, because their Linnen being fine spun, and colour'd, is not discernable to all Persons to be what we call Lin­seywoollsey.

3. The finest short English Wooll is mixed with the lowest of Spanish Wooll for some of their best Druggets, that is woven upon Worsted Chanies, and also for a middle sort of Broad Cloath, [...] ­bout 10 or 12 s. per. yard. This is the cause, I judge, that short Spauish Wooll is so scarce in England.

Now if we consider these things together, the dammage of Ex­porting one pack from England to France at about 10 or 12 l. [Page 16] Sterl. preventing the Mauufacturing of two packs more, which would be worth 100. l. Englands loss in the whole can be little less than 160. l. it being generally combing Wooll (as before hint­ed) that is Exported to France, which makes Worsted Stuffs, and Stockins; and besides the advantage given them by one pack of rough Wooll, its obvious to all Manufactors, that a pack of Worsted or Combed Wooll worth 20. l. at 12 score to the pack, which is 20 d. per pound, and make it more easie to every ordinary capacity; that in Stockens a [...] pound, of fine Wooll would make at least two pair of Hose worth 5. s. a pair, that is 10. s. for a pound of Wooll; or reckon thus, to ordinary Hose three pair to a pound of Wooll, at 3. s. 4 d. per pair, comes to the same sum, and 12 score pound of Wooll making a pack, and a pack of Wooll making 480. pair of Hose, accordingly the pack makes 120. l. without any respect to the advantage given them in rough Wooll. Moreover considering the Customs of the product, when Imported, it would double that sum, so that the Exportation of one pack of English or Irish Wooll is 200. l. dammage to the King and Country in general; the consequence of which will be the spoyling our Trade with France in woollen Manufactures, which (since the great Importation of our Woolls thither) appears from the great Impost put upon the Same there; and will in time capaci­tate the French and Dutch to under-sell our English Merchants in Forreign parts, and possibly in our own Countrys; so that the advantage we give them, besides in the mixtures of our W [...]olls, which theirs is such, that whereas their Wooll of it self is not worth 4 l. per pack, being mix'd with ours, becoms so fit for Worsted Stuffs, as that it comes to be worth no less than 12 l. per pack: So that all these considered, it becomes obvious to every Eye, that the E [...]ortations of Woolls from England and Ireland is of a dan­gerous and destructive Nature to the very being of the Trade of this Kingdom.

Another necessary consequence of carrying Wooll into France and Holland, will be to bring the price of Wooll to be 6 d. per pound, as it was 300 years ago, when the Cloth then made in [Page 17] Flanders of our Wooll at 6 d. per pound was sold here in Eng­land at 10 s. per yard; when at this day Cloath made in Eng­land of Woll at 12. d. per pound, will hardly yeild 7 s. per yard, which is above 30 per cent worse to the English Trade now, than it was to the Flemings formerly, which is solely occasion'd by the French and Dutch, being able by much to under work, and con­sequently to under-sell us; whereas if the Wooll was not Exported beyond Sea to those places, there to be Manufactur'd, they must of necessity buy our Woollen Manufacture, because they have not Wooll enough of their own to supply their occasions, and that also they would want those advantages of improving by our Woolls the French and short Spanish Wooll, and their fine spun Linnens. The difference of keeping our Wooll at home, and sending it a­broad appears hence, experience testifies, that when the Wooll was all us'd at home, or very little Exported, the Wooll was 18 d. per pound, and when all, or the greatest part was Exported, it was at 6. p.

Much more very pertinent to this Design, may be gathered out of that discourse, as in the Preface; he tells of a Design propos'd of allowing liberty to Export Wooll out of Ireland in­to Forreign Countrys, adding 2 d. or 3 d. per pound Custom; the disadvantage of which Act he there shews; as also that a Lord in the Committee for Wooll, affirmed he was offer'd 100000 l. Sterl. to get an Act pass'd for the Transportation of Wooll, which with what goes before, sufficiently testifies the great advantage the French gain, and we lose by their Manu­facturing our Wooll; to which I will add, that there being at least 10000. packs yearly Transported from England and Ire­land, if not a great deal more, (of which we may allow the one half, if not more to Ireland) by this Authours computation, pag. 12. the Loss to England, in general, can be little less than Two Millions a year, and to the King in particular, 200000 l. which would otherwise be advanced in his Customs; which would easily prove true to any considerative Person that ob­serves in these 10000 packs, there can be no less at the lowest [Page 18] Computation than 150000 Stone, 16 pound to the Stone, and 12 score pound to the pack, and that working up every Stone, is worth in very labour 50 s. which makes loss to the Tradesmen in Wages only, 375000 l. and since the French work up Wooll much cheaper than we can, and also gain the advantage of making a double quantity of their own Wooll useful by ours, they can afford to give greater rates for Wooll than we do, and yet by at least two thirds under-sell us; the consequence of which will be the lowering the price of Wooll both in Eng­land and Ireland, and beating us out of the Trade by our own weapons: Whereas, if we keep the Wooll from them, we should then sell in Cloath the quantities of Wooll, and two thirds more, which would be of vast profit to all people of this Country; prevent the Exportation of coin thither to ballance that destructive (as now mannaged) Trade, encrease Ship­ping and Navigation, and give full employment to all the poor of the Kingdom (with which it now swarms) this one Trade of Cloathing using as many hands as perhaps all other Trades of the Nation, 27 persons being ordinarily imployed to the work­ing one Stone of Wooll into Cloath.

But at the worst, suppose (which none did ever yet that I could hear of) that France and Holland could make a shift without our Wooll to Cloath their Natives, we should at least gain the Trade of all other Parts of the World.

Perhaps some men may fancy that France has no need of our Woollen Manufactures, because of the great Impost that King of late put on our Cloaths, which would soon be a burthen to his own people, if the Tables were turn'd, and we kept our Wooll; seeing then we should sell them our Cloath so much the dearer, it being indisputable, that if they need our Wooll, they will much more our Cloath; which also will add to us an encrease of Artists, because those Persons abroad wanting the materials for their Trade, will be under a necessity of learning new Arts, or going where they may be employ'd in their own (which is the most likely.)

[Page 19] There is yet one thing not taken notice of, (viz.) The Companies giving His Majesty 10000 l. a year, which is done as a grateful recognition of His Majesties particular favour to this Company, which sum I presume at very reasonable and moderate exchange would be rais'd by this Stock, or perhaps sav'd out of the very charge of the mannagement of this Trade. And it ought to be remembred that this is not the tieth of what was granted to be lost by the Exportations of Wooll, which also will at length be pay'd by Forreigners; for 'tis certain, for the first, second, or third year the Wooll was never intended to be sold dearer than it was in England before the late Dutch War, when in several hands, and after that time, when the French and Dutch stock of Wooll is spent, the raising the price would be no prejudice to the Cloathiers.

Besides this would discourage the French and Dutch by any sinister practises to endeavour the breaking this grant, since 'twould appear a Loss to the Kings Revenue, as well as to all the People of England; for by how much the Subjects are impo­verished, by so much is the Princes power weakned; nor is it on any pretence what-ever imaginable, His Majesty would ever be induc'd to break this Grant; since the great care He has al­ready taken in securing the Wooll within these Dominions, shews His Gracious Inclinations and readiness to effect it by any further way that should be propos'd. And after a small time He in His Priucely Wisdom observing the vast benefit He and all His people would reap by this Act in the great advance of His Costoms and their Riches would by his own Example encou­rage the wearing of Wollen Manufacture; and frequently issue forth His Proclamations for the due executing of all Laws tend­ing thereunto; and particularly the prohibition of Forreign Manufactures, and the Law for Burying in Woollen, which sure is practicable, or else had never been made: If the Clergy be en­joyn'd to Bury none otherwise, it will quickly become Custo­mary.

[Page 20] And now it may be concluded all the Objections are fully Answer'd: As to the practicableness of the thing, 'tis very ea­sie, and the Stock not very great, which the Cloathiers among themselves may advance, or the greatest part of it; and They having their votes in the mannagement of it, cannot fear its miscarriage: though whether They be concern'd or not, it is plain 'tis the Companies interest to secure the Importation of all Irish Wooll into England, and likewise to prevent the Ex­portation of English, which may be done either by buying it all up, or by re-establishing Staple-Towns where only the Wooll shall be sold, and the quantity Registred, with the Buyers and Selles names, by which it may be trac'd to the very Manu­facture. And besides, that 'tis the Companies Interest (which will never lye) not to send any of their Wooll abroad, They will further give Personal security (if requir'd) not to Export any directly or indirectly into any Country but England, and be content the forfeiture of their Bonds be to Blackwell-Hall, or the Chamber of London, if it appears the number of Stones bought, and ship'd in Ireland, be not actually landed in Eng­land the danger of the Seas only excepted.

And to this purpose the Magistrates in the several Ports in Ireland may be ob [...]ig'd by an Act of Council to take yearly an exact account of all Wooll bought by the Company, and fixing theirs & the Custom-House Seals, it may be sent into England, and compar'd with the number of Stones landed there; the Account of which may also be certified by the chief Magistrate of the City, as well as chief Officer of the Port; and unless these two Accounts do agree, the Bonds to be forfeited.

It may be some will say, though the Company should not carry any abroad, yet others may, since the Wooll-growers have liberty to sell to whom they please: To which it is an­swer'd that it will behove this Company to prevent this by all imaginable care not only in Ireland but England also, by watch­ing the Ports abroad and at home: Besides, after the first year, there cannot be a flock of Sheep in Ireland which they may not [Page 21] know, and by that knowledge, easily find what becomes of of the Wooll; and their private Intelligence at home and abroad will discover such Artifices, which (as things stand) can never be prevented, but by this Company, whose ad­vantage it will be to stop all the ways of doing it.

Now in case any dispute shall arise in distinguishing the several sorts of Wooll, His Majesty may appoint in every Port three indifferent Persons chosen for Judges and skilful in Wooll, whose sentence shall be definitive to both Buyer and Seller; and this will be no difficult matter when the Wooll is divided into Combing and Cloathing, which are easily distinguishable by their lengths: Now the Combing being of two sorts, of a fine hair, and a course hair, because the fineness of the one is countervail'd by the length of the other, there is no difference made in the price propos'd; but the Cloathing-Wooll being of two sorts more unequal, they are consequently differenc'd in value; the one sort is of a thick grown, clotty, and fine hair, the other of a thin grown spurt, or course hair. These three several sorts are to be of a years growth, Tarry, Yoaky, Matty, Sandy, and extraordinary course excluded: The qualities of the fell Wooll are to be well sorted, well washed, and well dryed.

But if the People of Ireland think it troublesome to have their Wooll sorted, as is constantly done in England, when there sold; there may be this course taken to give them con­tent: It is agreed on all hands that the Wooll of Tipperary is the best of Ireland, and 'tis generally known whose Wooll is the best of all that County, which being [...]ound, sufficient Patterns, may be yearly taken of that, and sent to the several Ports, which being concluded the Standard, shall be the measure of all the rest; what equals it to be of the same sort; that which comes nearer to it, or is further removed in goodness from it, to be the second and third sort.

And if men imagine these Judges will not do equal Justice, by the same Analogy of Reason they must conclude [Page 22] so of all Judges, since upon the delivering their Commissions to them, they must be sworn to be just, and that they may not forget their Duty, the Oath may yearly be given them before the chief Magistrates of the City, and not only turn'd out, but punish'd on complaint and conviction.

As for the three Ports design'd in Ireland, Dublin, Water­ford, and Cork, they are most conveniently Situated for all the Sheep walks of Ireland, and are those from whence all the Wooll is Ship'd now, except what is Transported for France and Holland, and what is Ship'd from one or two Ports very near adjacent to these, and in the same Line Eastward, only for the greater conveniency of a few parti­cular Merchants dwelling in those Ports. And that none may be Strangers to the Prises offer'd, they were 10 s. 8 s.—6 d. & 7 s. for the first, second, and third sort of Wooll, in case the Wooll-growers would not divide their Wooll into Combing & Cloathing, which Rates were high enough when this proposal was first set on foot, before the conclusion of the Peace, when the best was not worth above 7 s. per Stone; and though these rates were judg'd sufficient by most of the Persons of Quality of Ireland, lately in Eng­land, and by some of them, too great, as well as by the Peo­ple of England, yet it was intended by the Proposers for a full satisfaction to the People of Ireland, to give them, if they approv'd not of these, the same rates they receiv'd one year with another for the last 7 or 10 years, by making a computation of them altogether, and after dividing, to take the Quotient for the standing price, during the Term; which may be done at the Lent-Assizes, before the Grand Ju­ry, they there producing sufficient proofs of the prices year­ly receiv'd, or before others appointed for this matter. The occasion of this alteration was, that after the Peace, the Wooll for a little while started to higher Prices, but fell a­gen soon, insomuch that now the best Wooll of Ireland may be bought at 8 s. & 8 s.—6 d. as appears by several [Page 23] Letters from Ireland to Merchants here, and also by Certi­ficates from thence under several mens hands, which con­firm the former; and further add, that Wooll will fall lower, if the Markets in England do not rise, of which 'tis said here, there is no probability. And that is likely enough, if it be consider'd that the Quantity of Wooll is much more in England and Ireland, than it was seven years ago, and e­very year likely to encrease; and that the Wollen Manu­factures are less, insomuch that great quantities of old Wooll in both Kingdoms, even at this day, remain un-sold. To prevent which inconveniencies, both to England and Ireland, this honest Design was set on foot, which when rightly understood, will appear to be greatly the advantage of both Kingdoms. And since the several sorts of Wooll are valued at such certain rates in those three Ports of Ire­land, those who live at a greater distance from them, though the carriage of their Wooll stands them in more; yet are equally dealt with, seeing the inequality is founded on this; that every Commodity of the growth or produce of that Country, and of every other, is so much the less worth in va­lue, by how much farther they are from the chief seats of a Kingdom; and they have amends made by paying proportio­nably in the Rents of their Lands, as they are nearer or fur­ther from the Metropolis.

'Tis possible one sort of men will yet Object against this De­sign, I mean those who deal more upon Credit than Stock; to satisfie whom, it may be answer'd, if their Credit [...] be good sing­ly, it will be much more in Company; and this will not hin­der their making use of their Credit a part, which if in Ireland will gain them Wooll for their proportions of this Stock; if in England it will procure them money: And sure 'tis far better to trust these men, if associated in a Company, who intends to lessen the risk of the Sea, and to make the hazard less than when single; for then every Creditor is more an Adventurer than he, or at least as much; for if an accident at Sea or Land [Page 24] breaks him, the Creditor is a looser, who trusting him, entred into Society, runs very little or no hazard: But if this satisfie not, they may employ their Credit in some other Trade, and if they could not, and this do appear a publick good, 'tis bet­ter a few, than all should suffer.

THe Zeal which I am convinc'd you have for the publick good, & the love you bear to the Promoters of it in every instance, has prevail'd with me in spight of my own lazy tem­per, to give you this long Relation of what has been done in Order to the Erecting this Wooll-Company. The Design was generously undertaken, and vigorously prosecuted; but the Proposer, to secure his Reputation (the only thing I dare say, he would not venture for the Publick) after he had Answerd all Objections to the full, excepting this one, that one or two dislik'd the Design (though they knew not why) did for the present at least, lay it down, and upon no other discouragement ceas'd prosecuting that Letter which I mention'd before was design'd to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; and I be­lieve will not re-assume it, till it receive a general ap­probation from the people of Ireland, and encouragement from the Cloathing-men of this Nation; which if they refuse, 'tis reasonable to conclude, their out crys against Transportations of English and Irish Wooll are unreasona­ble; that 'tis not the Transporting of Wooll into For­reign Countreys, which occasions the decay of Woollen Manufactures here, and consequently that all the Irish Wooll which is not Manufactur'd at home, may be sent abroad, the Trade of England requiring no more Wooll than its own growth; these consequences may be repent­ed of, when the Evil is become incurable; though it has been often said by wise and knowing men, that it were Englands advantage to have all the Wooll of Ireland Im­ported hither, and that of England Manufactur'd within it [Page 25] self, though what was found Unmerchantable, when in Stuffs and Cloath (of which nothing is to be suppos'd will happen) were immediately set on fire, since of the remain­der they would make sufficient profit to compensate that suppos'd Loss.

I Have Writ all I design'd, and more; and as I have un­dertaken this task, meerly to gratifie your Curiosity, so I submit what I have done to your Judgment, to be kept private, or communicated as you shall think fit; for that, and all, I am, are wholly