Page 179 - Transcriptions d'actes notariés - Tome 20 - 1682-1686

The Advenlurer scheme originated in London and immense1 y
inereased the Ierr our of the London Irish inter~fit. That lhis inlerest
was already strong id indicated by the remark of one London obserier
to the eflect that the Irieh "owe the merchants here twelve hundred
thousand pounds, whieh lhey want. . ."c2) In December 1645, the London
Adventurers petitioned that "thoee Merehants of London and elsewhere
that have lost their debts by the Rebellion there. . . may have a share also
of the Rebels land for all. . ."'* On April 4, lM2. a committae of the
London Adventurers was fiirmed which included some of the wealthiest
men in London and henceforth, was to be assidnoufi in the promotion
of ~lieir interests. f4) In SepiemLer IW2, another commitiee of eleven
London merehants was a~ipointedl" and empowered to negoliate
coniraets with "well aflecled" persons for the supply of the Englieh and
Seoitish armies in Ireland. It is perhaps worth recording that this
group seldom fonnd it necessary tli go beyond their own nnmhcrs to
find the necessary "well nilected" ones.
A short iime later the London shippinp inl~rest~ were well served
Iy the passage of an ordcr in the Pailiampnt permitting the fitdng out
of privateers "for cruising on tlie Irish coasts". Al1 rebel property on
eea or land was fair game and the privateers were given explicit
permisqion to "invade. . . ports. . . aiid to sack or pillage any such place
or plaees" and to "enjou as tiieir proper goods al1 ships, eoods, moriie5,
plate, . . . pillage and spiiil" which conld be sh0rr.n to be rebel property.t8'

On lurie 19, 161 3, the Londoneis gave evidence that tlieir appetite for
aequisition in lreland liad been no more than whetied. l'liey asked
Parliament to "pive aucli encouragement, as may jnduce tlio* who are
Merehants and live on trade to adventure consideralle suni+. . .""j
II was pointed out tliat varions Irish cities might be put up for sale
as iveII as such privileges as fisliinp rjghts on the Shannon. Parlianient
replied to this request by the passa~e of an ordinance whicli proiided that
if ari adventnrer paid iri a suni equal to one quarter of his original invest-
ment he wonld be apportioned leiid in lreland at twice the former raLe.
In addition the eitjes of Limerick, Waterford, Galway and Wexfrird
were put up for sale. This ordiriancetS' had the effect of bririging iri
heavy new investments.
It is against this background lhat the "Cessation" ol 1643 mnst be
vieived. A few weeks alter the passage of the ahove ordinance, Charl~s
1 negotiated a cease firc wi~h the Irish Rebels. lt requires no stretch of
the "hisiorical imagination" to pictnre the reaetiori in Loridori and
Westminster. On Kuv. 2, IM3, the Parliameri tarians declared tliar

'3 WiIiiarn Dobliins to Sir PhiTip Percevell, Lontlun, Frh. 15, 1641,'Z Reports
(II The Historical hIanusr.riiii:. Commis~ioii. Eerriunt 1. u. la.
colle;
(!Ji "Eeaaoiie deliverctl. . .'* l1riii;li 3jiisrum T ~ ~ o ; ~ ~ ~ U ~ ~ilun, E314 (7) p. 20.
(4) Joiiriiala of ~be Hou+c ol Conimoiis, ii, p. 511.
'5) Public Hecord Oficr, Loiillui:, Slaic Pupers, 16/'529 p t. ii/l27,'lM.
(8) rniirnals uf ikie HGUX IP~ Lords. r. o. k9.
(7) Journalu of ilie Houce of Cornriion>, iii, p. 135,
lbid., iii, pp. 136, 141.