Proposition I. That the Reformed Religion is much propagated in Ireland, by the Woollen Manufactures there.

Tho the Doctrines of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, are the most sim­ple, intelligible and easie to humane Nature of any Religion in the World; and his Precepts and Examples guide us in the most Delightful, Happy and Wisest Ways of Life that Mortality is capable of; yet both Doctrine and Pre­cepts are alas! but too little understood, and less practis'd by the Generality of our People; who tho' excellently instructed in both by our Ministers, have not so delightful and clear a knowledge therein, as to be able to give manifest Reason of the Hope that is in them, yet generally are satisfied of the Truth there­of; like Men who learn another Language than their own, soon understand [Page 4]more thereof than they can speak themselves. But tho very many of them can't in any tolerable Order, lay down their own Principles, yet ask 'em, What are the Faults they find in the Romish Perswasion? They'll passionately reply; 'tis a False, Base, Cruel Religion. What Popery! to burn and hang People, Inquisition and Dragoon 'em, if they won't do as they would have 'em? and if they do, then keep 'em Slaves and Beggars; whilst the Abby Lub­bers, Friars and Priests, devour their Labours living, and when they dye, make their Posterity pay Money for the Redemption of their Souls. No, rather than be of that Religion they'll be of none. Thus, tho the Reformation was first promoted by the great Learning, Wisdom, and Holiness of Life of these whom God of his great Mercy and Grace strengthned to undertake a Work so difficult and dangerous, the Truth whereof many sealed with their Blood; yet now it is continued by the generality of its Professors, not only for its Truths sake, which they take for granted; but far more sensibly, for its being a Fortress, or Bulwark against all Arbitrary Power or Violence over their Lives, Liberties and Goods.

Popery they dread as a Monster that would evour 'em, and all that is theirs; and therefore they had rather die in the Contest, than be eaten up alive.

Of all the Occupations and Trades by which our People get their Living, there are none so great Enemies to Popery and Papists, as generally our Marri­ners and Clothiers; and therefore very rarely admit any Papist Seaman (if he appear to be such) either to Sail, or Work with them. Several Papists in­deed are Fishermen and Boatmen; but if they use the Sea for any considerable time, they so long disguise their Faith, that they lose or change it at last. So that tho the Protestants of Ireland have had a long time a large Commerce by Sea, yet are there very few Papists, if compared with the others. I think I can only except the County and Town of Wexford, where there lately were many Papist Seamen; but the Inhabitants there are of an Old English Stock, and so much more addicted to a Seafaring-Trade than the Irish; which their great Herring-Fishing did much encourage and promote. Besides there never was a sufficient Body of Protestant Merchants, or Marriners, to Discourage or Con­vert them. However 'tis to be observed, that in the late War with the French King, our Coasts were more Infested, and consequently more injury done us by those Wexford Deserters in French Privateers, than by all the rest put together; for they knowing all the Coast, Rocks, Shoals, Harbours, and Rivers, attempted what no Stranger could, or durst attempt. And this In­jury had been far greater, had not our Protestant Merchants and Seamen by their Aversion for 'em, prevented their Increase in all other Parts of Ireland.

As our Seamen, so our Clothiers have an invincible Prejudice against permit­ting any Papists to be instructed in their Art and Mystery, as they term it. These People are divided into several parts that compose the whole of that Trade, viz. The Clothier or Imployer of the rest, the Comber, the Spinner, the Weaver, the Miller or Tucker, the Dyar, the Racker, Pressers, &c. in all which [Page 5]parts they admit no Papist any share,The thi [...]rs Combers Munster, specially Cork, much [...] cautious Discover their and [...] ­r [...]s to [...]st [...], [...] th [...]s [...] in [...] ­ster are. except in the Spinning done by the Wo­men, and a small part of the Weaving: But shou'd any Papist pretend, as a Master Clothier, to set up the Trade in any City or Corporate-Town, the Pro­testants of that Trade wou'd soon humble his Pride and Arrogance, and no more suffer him, than Rome would suffer the Bible to appear in Spain and Ita­ly in their Vulgar Tongues. Instead of suffering him to follow their Trade, as they call it, they would drive him from the place, especially since by the Laws, no Papist is capable of his Freedom in any Corporate-Town in Ireland; and so consequently incapable to be Master in any Trade there. The Combers are mostly English Men, who are so strictly Confederated against suffering any Papist to intermeddle with their Trade; that shou'd a Master imploy a Papist-Comber, the rest are all dissolved from his Service; not one will or dare serve him; but instead thereof, if they can conveniently apprehend his Minion, they'll break his Thumbs, so that he shall never Comb Wooll again, but leave him to lament that ever he did. Some very few Papists are allowed by them to be Tuckers, but rather to serve the Country in ordinary Milling Frizes, Stockins, and the like, than in any considerable part of their Trade. I never heard that any Papist here attempted the Dying or Pressing part: So that in the whole Cloathing Trade, none of the Papist Faction, except the Females, and a very few of the Men are admitted. The Irish Friars and Priests were in the Reign of the late King James, so sensible hereof, that on all Holidays they strictly prohibited their Spinners and Weavers working; and would some­times enter their Cabbins, and (if they found 'em at it) break their Tools; saying, That Work was good for nothing, but to Encrease and Maintain the Here­ticks. And so fearful were the Chief of the Irish, that the Combers would take Arms and Rise; that they were extremely glad, when they saw 'em, for want of other Work, go off in great Numbers for England. But besides the Hatred our Clothiers have for Papists on the general account, they have very particular, and (to themselves) good Reasons for it.

First, That they can't depend on their Honesty: For such Protestant Masters, as for a present Reward, or an extraordinary long time of Service, have ta­ken an Apprentice of Popish Education, (tho his Religion was to lie dormant with his Friends, till he had learnt his Trade) found to their Cost, that they cou'd not be kept from stealing the Wooll, worsted, Yarn, and what else they could purloin. Now tho stealing is esteemed a Peccadillo among Papists, Irish especially; yet in the Cloathing Trade it's an Unpardonable Fault. The Offender is certainly ruin'd there; the whole Fraternity abhor him; and he must seek new ground, where a thousand to one but Fame will overtake him; and tho' he may wander like Cain, yet his Guilt and Punishment will be in pursuit. But,

Secondly, If this Apprentice serve his Time and learn his Trade, the next thing he will do, is to lower the Price of his Work, and accordingly do it so much the more slightly, worse and deceitfully. And what those want to make [Page 6]up his Gain, he will pinch out of his Back and Belly. For as the Irish Papists have no other way to out-doe the English Protestants, but doing Cheaper, so they'll not fail to do that, knowing how to live extremely worse, both in their Houses, Apparel, and Fare. If therefore the Matter come only to that Competition of Cheapness, and be otherwise equal, the Ca [...]e will surely go for the Papist. For this reason our Clothiers are on their G [...]ard not to suffer their Trade to fall into Papists Hands, knowing that must be their own ruine. For that N [...]on or People, be their Principles never so bad and hu [...] to the Publick, sh [...] have that Trade wherein they can under-do the rest. [...]se to note, Th [...] making Frizes is not meant or intended as a part of the Cl [...] Trade: For that can, and is managed in poor Coun [...] Villages, where our [...] ­thiers do not care to dwell; but altogether Inhabit in good Cities and Corpo­rate Towns, where they find their Safety, Profit, and Plenty. And by this means our Cities and Towns are now more fully Inhabited by Protestants than ever, and thinner of Papists. However there is a Remarkable Difference be­tween the Cities and Towns where the Woollen Manufactures are, and where they are not. Where they are, there's a very great Trade, and that in the Hands of Protestant Merchants and Factors; but where the Manufactures are inconsiderable, the other Trade; as the Exportation of Hides, Tallow, Butter, and the like gross Commodities, is almost, if not altogether as much managed by Papists as Protestants. For that the Irish Merchants and Factors abroad, do all they can to maintain a Correspondence and Trade with their Friends and Relations that staid in Ireland.

I have considered how it should so happen, that Manufactures should so much more Thrive, in Protestant than in Papist Countries, and that even where Popery was Regnant, and Protestantism scarce permitted; the Protestants pre­vailed (where not violently hindred) to get the Trade, and consequently Riches and Reputation to themselves.

One Cause I conceive to be, that the Reformed not being at all delighted with the Gauderies and pompous Processions of the Romish Church, remain at their Trades and Occupations, when the Papists of the same Trade are spending their time, either in attending or assisting those Glorious Shews; the Idleness and Pri [...]e whereof, influenc'd by the many Holidays, makes 'em very unwillingly return to th [...]r Labours; which after that, seems more poor and miserable.

2. That Protestants are generally more honest and punctual in their Dealings, and no wonder; for if the Mind of a Papist be disturb'd by his Fraud or In­justice, Perjury or Oppression, it can by the Power or Skill of a Priest, be much, or quite [...]ified, appeased and made gentle. Whereas the poor Peccant Pro [...] ­stant ha [...] no such Salve for his Sore; he must make Satisfaction and truly repeat. And tho Protestants, I fear, do not generally perform this part of their Reli­gion, as they are bound, when they have offended, yet are they not so ready as the other to offend. Wherefore even Papists themselves may and do deal more safely with Protestants, than with one another; and this must necessarily [Page 7]have many great Advantages attending it, according to that Saying, Honesty i [...] the best Policy.

3. The Papists, especially the meaner and more Ignorant sort, are extremely impoverisht by their Begging, but greedy Clergy, by which means they are made insensible weak, and unable to manage their Trade to that advantage that Protestants do, who are not so cousned of what they have. The Papist finding his Condition low, his Hopes and Diligence lessen, whilst the Protestant finds his Labour prosper in his Hands, and is therefore enabled and encouraged to continue and encrease his Industry.

I remember about the latter end of K. Charles H. Reign, when Popery began to venture a little out of Doors, that the Prises of Wool and Woollen Goods would rise and fall, just as the Wind of Hopes and Fear blow. When the Protestant Cause was seemingly in Favour, then all hands at Work, and every thing sold off bravely; but when the Roman Party were a little uppish, then all things fell to the Ground; tacitly implying, That Manufactures and Commerce have Popery for their Implacable Enemy,

Men that can get their Livings honestly by their own Industry, have a Value and good Opinion of themselves, and can't endure the Thoughts that any one may Rightfully, and yet Arbitrarily, deprive or obstruct them of the Means thereof, which yet they know Popery must and will do. For if Men be permit­ted to make use of their own Sense and Reason, (which nothing but truth will admit of) and their Property in their Lives, Liberties and Goods be preserved to them, how can Popery (conscious of their own Fraud) ever subsist? There­fore as the Eagle (Rome's beloved Bird) first plucks out the Eyes of her Prey, so Popery must Reason and Sense, the Eyes of our Rational Souls: After that there is no hope to escape.

Wherefore I conclude that seeing our Manufactures, especially our great and chiefest the Woollen, can't thrive, nay scarce subsist without the benign Influence and Protection of a Protestant Government; that certainly those Artificers and Traders, from Principles of Self-Interest, Love, and a full perswasion of its be­ing the best Government, and best Religion in the World, will immoveably adhere thereto, and propagate the same, by all possible means, to strengthen and en­large themselves. And that therefore the Protestants of Ireland, who gave the Irish Papists (the worst and most inveterate of all others) for their Enemies, must with one Heart and one Mind love the present Government of England, that rescu'd 'em from their insupportable Cruelties; and gave 'em opportunity to serve God in his own way, and honestly to live by their Labours and In­dustry. And therefore the encouraging, encreasing, and confirming of this sort of People, is a very great security to the Profession of the Protestant Religion. For Men naturally love to choose the Right, when they may safely do it; but much more when invited by other Advantages also.

It may be objected: Since Protestanism is so great a Patroness of Manufactures, how comes China so famous for 'em? There is no Protestant Religion there. I answer, [Page 8]nor Papist Religion, nor any thing like it, for Fraud, Violence or Oppression: Where there is no Popery, I believe Manufactures may flourish, but never where it is.

Prop. II. That the Wealth of England is much augmented by the Woollen Manufactures, and Navigation of Ireland.

A Stranger arriving in England, and should hear many Persons there, of seem­ing good Parts and Repute, rail against Ireland; sometimes wishing it under Water, sometimes Wasted, Deserted, and what not, would think that the Peo­ple of this Island were some deadly Enemies, who infested their Coasts with Piracy and Depredation, were the Subjects of some haughty injurious Prince, who kept no Faith with 'em, but did them all the Mischief in the World; he would not dream that we are one and the same People, Parents and Children, Brothers and Sisters, sometimes dwelling here, sometimes there; that we are of one Religion, that we are a Province of their Empire, and have neither Laws nor Governours but of their sending us: What is it then that we have done to provoke such Indignation? Why we made Serges, Bays, and other Woollen Goods, and sent 'em to Holland, Flanders, Spain, Portugal, &c. would he not wonder what Crime was this; and ask what Law or Friendship we violated? None, say we, and hope never shall; but being instructed there to get our Li­ving honestly, we have endeavoured to do so here.

But our Fault is, that by medling with the Woollen Manufactures, we have lower'd the Price àbroad. I may well deny the Consequence, but for this time I will grant it. Well then; we have lower'd the Price abroad, and so England has had the less profit; yet our Trade will be found to be a great addition to the Wealth of England in general: For whatever some West-Country Gentlemen take Ireland to be, and whatever it was formerly, when in the Hands of the Native Irish and Papists, it is now an English Protestant Country; and to be reputed no more separate from the Care of the Monarch of Great-Brittain, than Yorkshire, Cheshire, or any other part of England. Is it because there is a little Channel that runs between Wales and Wexford, that when any English dare cross that Stream, they must be divested of English Priviledge, as if they had transgrest some Law of Nature? Or as if indeed,

Then 'tis the Fields on the East side of that Water are blest, and those on the West are curst; but neither God, nor the King, will say so: Or is't that one Nation can't live in two Islands, as well as two very different Nations dwell in one Island? But to return to our promised Wealth, from which the Devon­shire Gentlemen are kept too long.

Ireland, if permitted to Ship off her Manufactures, the quantity from both Kingdoms, will in all probability be very much greater than from one. And altho hereby at first it may something abate the price of each Piece, yet the proceeds of all will be exceedingly more; for the scarcer and dearer any thing is, the less is made use of; and on the contrary, the cheaper and more plenty any thing is, the Consumption will be also so much the more. This will also discourage the Forreign Manufactures; for when they see how very cheap and plenty they are brought 'em from England and Ireland, they may incline to something else, to which they may have more Conveniencies and Encourage­ment. We will suppose then that Exeter sent 1000 pieces of Serges to Holland, and had got 2000 Guilders by them; had not 1000 pieces, arrived at the same time from Cork, and reduced their profit to 1500 Guilders, and those from Cork making the same Gain, put the Account together, and there is 3000 Guilders profit by both, instead of 2000 by one. But says the Man of Land and Trade in Devon, What is your 1500 Guilders to us? I say, as much as if H [...]ll or Yar­mouth got them. For 'tis very little or no return of Goods we have from Holland, Flanders, &c. but our Money is either brought in Specie, or remitted by Bills (which at last comes to terminate in the same thing) to London. When 'tis there, both Principle (which is at least 2500 l more) as well as the 1500 Guilders Profit) which is about 150 l) are applied to the Payment of Irish Rents, due to the Nobility, Gentry, and Rich Men of England and others; to Pay the Expence of our Sons at Study at Oxford, Cambridge, or the Inns of Court; to buy vast Quantities of Hops, Tobacco, Sugar, Dye-Stuffs, and a thousand other things, so far as our Money will go. When all this is done, what Money our Trade produces more than our Rents payable there, the Ge­nerous Education of our Children there, and the Goods we bring thence amount to, is our own to go on with our Trades, to do so again, and to improve [...] Estates at home. So that every unprejudic'd Man may see that we are a co [...] ­derable Root of England's Wealth, and add greatly thereto. And Dev [...] may with as sound reasoning prohibit Yorkshire to Ship off any [...]rsies, Colch [...]ste [...] challenge the whole Bay-Trade, and Norwich the Stuffs, and London pretend to prohibit all Out-Ports to Import or Export any Forreign or Native Commodities, because they lessen her Trade thereby, and that she mo [...] powerfully than any City in England, supports all Exigencies of the State. But how much wiser is the contrary or this? Viz. To encourage all the Members of the same Body, to ex­tend Care and Kindness to all, that from all they may receive mutual Aid and Benefit.

I pray suppose all Ireland as full of English Protestant Inhabitants as England is, and as rich; Would not England then have double the Power, both in Men and Money of what she now has to support her Wars? Would not her Vent of her own, and her Plantation Goods be vastly greater than if Ireland were Desert o [...] Protestants, or which is worse, be in an Enemies Hands?

But suppose it's objected, Ireland is Peopled by the Depopulation of England, and gains no more in Trade than she loses; but this is evidently false, English are not so fond of their own Country, tho' a good one, but that an English Man will, as well as a Scot, who has a bad one, Travel abroad, rather than live in a poor and painful manner at home. If there were no Ireland, he would find the way to New-England, Virginia, Maryland, or some other place; but Ireland lies rather fit to save them from being carried utterly away, and lost from England, to which he or his encreased Progeny may be restored on any Emergency.

For the Man of Devon may be as well forbid to go thence to York, and say it depopulates England, as to prevent his going to Dublin; whence he may be as soon back, or if be think sit to stay here, he is still an English-man, and ready for the Defence and Service of his Country, whether it be attempted on this or that side. And 'tis very Unnatural to hinder Men to Live, where they can live best, especially if under the same Government and Polity.

As to the Gain Ireland makes by a Trade so prejudicial to England. This is indeed a common Topick, whereon many declaim against Ireland, but have ve­ry little cause for it; as appears by what has been said already. Does no Country make Woollen Goods but England and Ireland? Yes, they do; namely, France, Scotland, Holland, Flanders, and many more. Well, then all these may as well rail against Ireland for lessening their Trade also. But the truth of it is, that Ireland coming into Conjunction with England in this Trade, they mutually strengthen each other; which may indeed be a great disheartning to Forreign Nations, but is no less an Encouragement and Support to England; for that she not only gets her own, but our Money also, and keeps her Sons about her, tho' not in the same House, yet planted within Call; whose Voice they must and will readily Obey. Now that we have seen the good Effects that England will surely have by cherishing her Children planted in Ireland; let us take a View of the Damage that would befal her, should she not suffer 'em to dwell there; or which is all one, not let 'em use that Industry there, which is necessary for their convenient Support, and this we will chiefly suppose to be done by Prohibiting our Manufactures.

Assoon as this fatal stroke is struck (which God avert) as deadly to the Protestant Interest in both Kingdoms; the Poor Widdow, and her Helpless Children, sit down and lament for want of Bread. The Cities then have too many Houses for their Inhabitants, and are breaking up House-keeping, and going not for England, except that in America, but to Pensilvania, Carolina, Holland, Ger­many, any where; Scotland it self, rather than be so shamefully and hopelesly brought back to their Angry Masters in Devon and Summerset.

Well then; this done, here is to be an Army at England's Charge, or to live on Rapine, who will Intermarry with, and degenerate into Irish; Rebel, and perhaps not so easily as heretofore, if at all reduced: But suppose it better, How shall the King's Revenue arise for Payment of the Civil and Military Lists? For support of the Magazines, and remittance of a considerable Over-plus into [Page 11]the Exchequer of England? For tho' before the Woollen Manufactures took Root here, Ireland was a great Charge to England; yet she was paying her Old Debts apace, when she found a way to Employ her People. How little Tillage and Cattle will serve this Country, when they who are the chief Buyers and Consumers are gone? How small a quantity of English and Plantation Goods shall we import, when we have no way to get Money to pay for them? The Revenue of Ireland will very soon, if our Woollen Manufactures be encouraged, amount to more than 500000 l per Annum. Let not this seem strange, for ac­cording to the Advances it made after the Act of Settlement and Explanation in Ireland, altho' tempered with extraordinary Lenity to the Irish Papists; it rise as I take it, from 160000, to 340000 l without any new Grants, or Impositi­ons; nay contrarily, many great Sums reserved on Papists Estates, were whol­ly and for ever acquitted and discharged. This great Improvement of the Revenue, owed its chief Cause to the Woollen Manufactures, which continually furnish'd the poor Spinner and Comber with daily Money to Smoak and Drink: So that in all the Towns, where the said Manufactures were, the In­land-Excise (as we term the Imposition on Ale, Beer and Ʋsquebaugh) advanced incredibly.

Will Taunton, Exeter, and Teverton pay all this Damage? No, they would indeed rather see Ireland Drowned, Annihilated. Therefore we are lead to hope, that neither the King, nor his Great Council in Parliament, will think it adviseable to treat the Protestant English Subjects thus severely (so immediate­ly after having made a Law to incourage their coming hither; as to deprive 'em of the most proper Means of getting a Livelihood decent, and sit for En­glish Protestants, To please some mistaken Gentiemen and Clothiers in the West of England, and the Factors at Blackwell-Hall.

The Poor French Hugonots, that are for the Cause of a Good Con [...]ce Ba­nisht their Native Soil, and Invited here by the Clemency of his Most Gra­cious Maiesty, and Laws newly made in their favour, will think themselves mi­serable indeed, when instead of following their respective Trade, they find themselves condemned to go to the Mountains to feed Cattle, and to Plow; neither of which they at all understand. Surely care must be taken to assign 'em Lands in Shares, as is done in Fez and Morocco: For when the Trade is gone, who will buy their Corn and Cattle?

But to all this it is answer'd: You shall have the Linnen Trade. We thank you for your kind intention: If we were sit for it, as we in all the South parts are not, where are the Forreign Markets? Can England prohibit Holland, Ger­man, &c. to forbear that Trade in favour to Ireland, at least not to under do us?

Now, if it be more prosit for England to receive vast Revenues out of Ire­land, both Publick and Private; to receive very great Benefits, by furnishing her with Native and Pla [...]at on Goods; to have her deserting People settle and Plant so near her, that they can't properly be said to have left her: to have a [Page 12]Country that was full of most inveterate Enemies, Enemies to their Religion, Nation and Government, changed into the most Faithful Friends and Relations that they can hope for, and to be at no more expence of Blood or Trea­sure, but now to reap the full benefit of all their former Costs; be better than to have Ireland an useless Limb, chargeable, and hazarding the Health of the whole English Frame, then certainly 'tis England's great Profit and Ad­vantage to encourage this Enlarged part of England, (for 'tis no other now) with all Natural Affection, Tenderness and Care; and so I can't believe but England will do, being thereto obliged by the Laws of God, which take great care of Mankind, by Natural wisdom and Polity, and true Love even of themselves.

Prop. III. That the Woollen Manufactures of Ireland, are a considerable Security to the Peace and good Government of England.

Since Ireland after her late almost Mortal Distemper (for whose Body the Devil and all his Angels fought with Michael and his) is, blessed be God, and praised be his Glorious Instrument King William, not only restored to her former Health and Vigour, but her very Youth re-commenc'd, and all the la­tent Seeds of Disorder, are irradicated and removed. She may truly boast that her Protestant Inhabitants are as sound a Body of People to their Prince, Country, Religion and Laws, as are to be found in the Universe. A Jacobite Protestant is now one of those Venomous Animals, that will not endure Irish Earth. Wolves indeed we have and Foxes, but these are now rather Game and Diversion, than noxious or hurtful. If an Irish Tory or Rapparce prey now but on an English Lamb, we have our Hounds ready for him, and a full-mouth'd Outlawry gives him Chase, and his Head becomes of more value than a Wolfe's; so that they are forc'd to wear Sheep-skins themselves, for fear of disturbing our Flocks.

Seeing then that Ireland is so perfectly at Unity in her self, that we have not the least Faction or Division among us, that our Sun and our Shield, are the Protestant Religion and King William; we are a very great addition to the Loyal Party in England, with whom and for whom we must live and die. Would to God England were so free from Noxious Humours; but perhaps her Cure was too soon and too easie; and therefore only Time and her Healthy Con­stitution must wear 'em off. Ireland now is, without doubt, the Envy of the Ja­cobites; who out of pure Malice, would be glad that the Irish Papists were more considerable than they are, as being on their side; and therefore we do not wonder if under pretence of England's Interest they desire to have the Protestants recall'd, or banisht hence.

This Country would then be a good Meeting place for the French and Irish to renew their interrupted Projects and Councels, and Corresponden­cies with the Highlanders; and they well know that English Protestants will not [Page 13]live, if they can help it without Imployment, whereby to live decently. They can't live with a Cow and Potato-Garden on a Mountain side, in a Cabin built in a Days time, which the Irish naturally do; and there is no other Imploy­ment for so great Numbers of Protestants, as God be praised are now in Ire­land, but that of Woollen Manufactures: Therefore says the Jacobite in England, Cut away that Root, and they'll all wither.

No, no, instead of taking away the Honest Means to get our Bread here, our Gracious King William will keep a good Protestant Army here, where they'll be welcome, and this Country will maintain 'em without any Charge to England or prejudice to it self, but will be the better, in having so many the more English-men (especially when the intended Baracks are made) amongst us.

But, suppose the worst, that this Project to put down our Weoken Manu­factures, should prevail, and consequently force the English Protestants to with­draw from this Island: The best then that could be hoped for, would be that the Scots would succeed in our rooms. Now pray what better security can England have that those Industrious and Hardy People won't make Serges and Bays, and through Scotland, send 'em where they please? Ay, but the Scots are a meek harmless People, that will not pursue their Interest, their Com­mon and National Advantages without leave from Mr. C—y and some other of the West of England; therefore there is no danger of them. For though Mr. C—y can't Bridle nor Saddle, much less Ride 'em in Scotland, yet if he catch 'em on Irish Ground he will tie 'em to Rack Staves, and take away their Oats and Meal.

However I hope England will not try his Experiment, least his Notions prove too Metaphysical to be of any Use, and too sine for Practice.

Then let us conclude that England had e'en as good foster and cherish her own Legitimate Issue, as to adopt those of other People, who may perhaps in time forget that single piece of Bounty, and go on to do themselves all the good that occasion may present them with.

Or shall we suppose, that in regard Europe is so Canton'd out into petit States and Principalities, that England (strictly so called) is more than a Match for any one of them, and therefore scorns to be enlarged by any new accession of Strength, which the Kingdom of Ireland would (if encou­rag'd in Woollen Manufactures) surely be to her? But Safety and Victory are never to be hazarded where they can be got without it.

It's much more than probable to me, that had Ireland in the Reign of King Charles I. Been so happy as to have been so fully Inhabited by Protestants, as blessed be God, she is now; there had been no Massacre of the Brittish Nati­ons here in 1641; nor had that Dismal and Bloody Rebellion ensued; nor had the Earl of Strafford thought it good Policy (as he did some time before that) to hold the English (who had the Artificial) and the Irish (who by their Numbers at least, had the Natural Strength of the Kingdom) in a Ballance; [Page 14]which he held in his own Hands, that both the one and the other might de­pend on his Arbitrement. His vast Ambition of Power, was not less than his very great Parts: To humour which, as he was resolved to serve his Master without reserve, so he expected by that Machine to compel Ireland to serve him.

But Story too sadly relates the Unhappy Catastrophy of this Policy: For his Arbitrary Proceedings, produced a Legal Act of Attainder against his Lordship's Head.

And the Irish with their Natural, surprized the Artificial Strength of the English in most places of the Kingdom; using them with ineffable Cruelty, which mightily encreased the Confusion and Flame in England, that ended not till some Years after.

Neither do I believe that the late King James had ever form'd the Design to Reign Despotically in England, had Ireland been so replete with Protestants, as (God be praised over and over again) she now is, Tyrconnel then would not have durst taken the Sword of Ireland into his Romish Paws, in Contempt of our Manifold Laws against it; he would not have dared to Disband an English Army, to Enlist Irish Enemies in their room, and to put the Civil and Mili­tary Power into those Hands which the Laws of the Realm had Disarmed of both; nor to have applied those Revenues to the Ruin of the Protestants. who granted and designed them for their own Defence.

The Premises considered, the Safety of England and Ireland, under God, are the great Numbers of Protestants in both Kingdoms. But as England can't have 'em without ways to Maintain and Support them, so neither [...] [...]nd; and there is no other way (Humanly speaking) than by the Wooller Manufa­ctures. And God has in his Providence so order'd it, that there is room e­nough in the World to vent the Productions of both Kingdoms.

Methinks I hear an Objection; That we have heard of great Bridges built upon Wooll-sacks, but never of a Church built upon Woollen-Cloth, a [...] this Man labours to perswade us, that the Reformed Churches of England and I [...]nd are.

Bantering will not do now. We know that our Church is built upon the Rock Christ Jesus, Eternal Truth, which nothing in Earth, Rome, or Hell shall ever prevail against. But seeing she is Militant here on Earth, tho her Foun­dation be impregnable, she must take care of her Out-Works, and keep good Garrisons and Armies; whose Common Soldiers are best made up of [...] ­stant Marriners and Manufactures (which Professions our Saviour's own Disci­ples follow'd) who tho often too irregular in their own private Actions, are nevertheless very Faithful to the General and Common Cause. Of these our Armies can never be too many, for they'll Fight and Work to Defend and Sup­port that which Defends and Supports them; and all the Pay they desire is, to have that Liberty which even Nature (not vitiated) bestows on Mankind. The Liberty, I say, to get their own Living by their Labour and Industry, and Pro­tection of their Goods gotten thereby. Whilst they are thus rewarded, scarce any will ever Desert, much less Mutiny or Revolt.