Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/45

CHAPTER II

THE DOWN SURVEY OF IRELAND

1652-1658

 

Condition of Ireland in 1652—The forfeited estates—The Grosse Survey—Vincent Gookin—The transplantation into Connaught—Massacre of the Waldenses—The Civil Survey—Dr. Petty's proposals—The Down Survey—The Map of Ireland—Letter to Boyle—Dr. Petty's method of work—The Army Survey commenced—Disputes with the army—The Army Survey finished—Distribution of the army lands—The 'Adventurers' Survey—Opinion of Clarendon—The Survey maps.

The actual fighting in Ireland had terminated with the fall of Limerick and Galway; and when Dr. Petty arrived in 1652, the population which had escaped the sword, or had not fled the country, was anxiously awaiting the decree of the conquerors.

Acting, it has been said, on the suggestions of Harrington, the author of 'Oceana,' and probably influenced by the example of the extirpation of the princes and kings of Canaan by the chosen people of God, and by the success of the plantation of Ulster in the reign of James I., the Government of the Commonwealth had resolved on a vast scheme for colonising the country with new settlers, in order thereby to secure the English connection, as it was thought for ever.

Before the actual commencement of hostilities between the King and the Parliament, 2,500,000 acres of Irish land had been pledged, in 1642, to those who should 'adventure' the money necessary in order to raise an army to put down the rebellion of the native Roman Catholic population. One of the last acts in which Charles concurred with his Parliament was in giving the Royal assent, however unwillingly, to this