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XXXIX. COMMISSIONERS OF CUSTOMS TO LORD CLIFFORD.

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7    In pursuance of your Lop. reference signifyed to us by S^r Rob^t
8Howard, wee have considered of y^e Letter of his Excellency y^e Lord
9L^t of Ireland & y^e Paper annent to it; and having fully weigh'd
10y^e matters therein contained, wee doe humbly present your Lop. w^th
11y^e following state thereof.
12    The severall Plantac~ons in America having been first Planted
13from this Kingdome of England w^th the losse of y^e Lives of many
14men, & a vast Expence of Treasure, the trade therefore of those
15plantac~ons hath been by severall Lawes & Acts of Parliam^t appropriated
16to England alone. And this is also y^e practice of other
17Nations to keep their plantac~ons enter'd to themselves.
18    That w^ch is now proposed on behalfe of y^e Irish nation, That
19they may have Liberty for a certain number of ships during the
20present warre or his Ma^ts Pleasure to trade to y^e Plantac~ons and
21unlade in Ireland, paying his Ma^tie there the halfe penny p~ pound,
22notw^thstanding y^e Lawes in force to y^e contrary, because of y^e
23want of trade in that kingdome by reason of y^e warrs, wilbe very
24prejudiciall to y^e trade & interest of this nation.

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25    For by such an allowance y^e Kingdome of Ireland will have
26y^e oportunity of vending not only their owne manufactures,
27but those also of other parts of Europe in y^e Plantac~ons, where
28only those of England were before sold. And their navigating
29cheaper then y^e English because of their plenty of Provisions will
30at least put them in a condition to undersell y^e English, and so y^e
31manufacture of England must necessarily ly upon their hands, and
32y^e navigation thereof be much obstructed.
33    This will unavoydably create y^e setting up of Ireland in Trade
34and Wealth on y^e basis of y^e Ruine of this nation w^thout any increas
35of Revenue or advantage to his Ma^tie, but very much y^e contrary.
36For all traders to y^e Plantac~ons will more readily goe for Ireland
37where they may expect better advantages by Bills of Store &
38otherwise from y^e farmers of y^e Revenue there, then y^e Constituc~on
39of y^e present management of y^e Customes in England will allow of,
40& consequently will much lessen his Ma^ts Customes heer in Linnen,
41Brandyes & other Comodityes w^ch pay great duty in importac~on,
42& are hence exported to y^e Plantac~ons, & make Ireland y^e staple
43of all Plantac~on Comodityes.
44    As to what is alledged on behalfe of y^e sd~ Kingdome of Ireland
45in relac~on to y^e present warre, as an argum^t for granting them y^e
46Liberty desired during y^e Warre, will easily be answered when it
47is considered that the whole burden of y^e warre lyes on y^e Kingdome
48of England, & that it partakes more of y^e effects of y^e warre
49by hindrance of trade than Ireland can doe.
50    The danger w^ch is intimated in y^e paper, of ships coming from
51y^e plantac~ons to Ireland, and from thence hither according as they
52are obliged by their bonds, being chiefly attested on account of
53Privateers infesting y^e Irish Coast, wee doe for that matter
54matter humbly present to your Lop. That no Ship goeing from
55England to y^e Plantac~on, or coming from thence, can be any wayes
56directly bound for Ireland w^thout absolute forfeiture of their bonds,
57& therefore it may be supposed that no ship puts into Ireland but
58upon some extrordinary necessity, or in expectac~on of more then
59ordinary advantages.

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60    Besides all this, If y^e Liberty of twenty ships should be granted
61w^ch is insinuated as ships of small Burden, they would easily be
62furnish^t w^th ships of Greater Burden from y^e New England men,
63& others who have found y^e encouragem^t from y^e farm^rs of Ireland
64to y^e ruin of y^e fair Trader here. Nor can it be duly kept to a
65Limited number of Ships considering y^e convenience & number of
66their Ports, but it would in time amount to a gen^ll Liberty. At
67least y^e charge of collecting y^e halfe-penny per pound in Ireland
68will neer ballance y^e Revenue that will arise to his Ma^tie thereby,
69and will certainly be a great losse in y^e Customes heer.
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