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Memorandum by Mr. Hardinge.
I believe the whole of the above account to be correct, and that the originals of the books described are not in existence. If they are, they should be found amongst the Parliamentary Records in the charge of Sir William Betham, at the Record Tower.
The volumes would be very useful, in conjunction with the 1688 forfeited records, in the custody of the Paymaster of Civil Services.
March 18, 1841.
A briefe Accompt of the most materiall Passages relatinge to the Survey managed by Doctor Petty in Ireland, anno 1655 and 1656[1].
Barronyes in Irland are of various extents, vizt., some but 8000 acres, and some 160,000 acres.
The first survey or old measurement was performed by measuringe whole baronyes in one surround, or perimeter, and payinge for the same after the rate of 40s for every thousand acres contayned within such surround; whereby it followed that the surveyors were most unequally rewarded for the same worke, vizt., he that measured the barrony of 160,000 acres did gaine neere five tymes as much per diem as he that measured that of 8000 acres. Besides, wheras 40s were given for measuringe 1000 acres, in that way 5s was too much, that is to say, at 5s per 1000 a surveyor might have earned above 20s per diem cleare, wheras 10s is esteemed, especially in long employments, a competent allowance.
The error of this way beinge discerned, the same undertakers order, that instead of measuringe entire baronyes as before, that scopes of forfeited profitable lands should bee measured under one surround, bee the same great or small, or wheather such scopes consisted of many or few ffarme lands, townelands, ploughlands, or other denominations usuall in each respective county or barrony. And for this kind of works the surveyor was to have 45s for every thousand acres, abatinge proportionably for such parcells, either of unprofitable or unforfeited land as should happen to be surrounded within any greater scope. Now this latter way, besides the inconveniencyes above mentioned, laboured with this other and greater, vizt., that by how much the measurer's paynes and worke was greater, by soe much his wages and allowance was
- ↑ From a manuscript in the Record Branch of the Office of the Paymaster of Civil Services in Ireland.
