Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Sir Francis Bacon's MSS relating to Ireland (Author: Francis Bacon)
Document 32
p.154
Privy Council to Lord Deputy of Ireland, 16 March 1617
Spedding, Letters & Life, VI, 154–6
It is not unknown to you that for many weighty reasons highly concerning the good of both his Majesty's kingdoms of
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England and Ireland for preventing the exportation of wool out of that realm into foreign parts, a course was thought upon at your last being here, advised by yourself, the Lord Chichester, and some others to whom that business was recommended, for erecting of certain staple towns in Ireland that should have sole power and authority to transport the wools of that realm, such as were not manufactured in the kingdom, to other Port Towns in England that should be assigned as correspondents to receive that commodity from thence. Hereupon the business being well projected by you and the rest of the Committees with many necessary cautions and provisions, it had besides sundry other references, first to me the Lord Keeper, then his Majesty's Attorney General, and afterwards to other persons, by reason of former employment well experienced in the state of that realm. Upon all which several references we received certificates and opinions, which we send to your Lordship herewith. We are now therefore to let you know that upon mature and grave advertisement the business hath received a full approbation at the Board and is ready for execution. The old staple towns have been dealt withal, as we understand, by those that were the last year sent from hence and were employed by your Lordship for that purpose; which towns, as we hear, are not so conformable and willing to receive the conditions of this new staple now to be established, as is fit they should be; wherein if they persist, or shall refuse to release such customs and forefeitures as are given them by statute, being hereunto first moved by your lordship and that Council, whereof you will advertise us, his Majesty may (if it please him) take from them the benefit of the non obstante and so make their privileges of no use unto them, until their conformity he shall vouchsafe to restore them to their exemption again. To this end your lordship is first to cause a proclamation forthwith to be published, for restraining generally the exportation of all sorts of wools, woolfells, morlings, shearlings, lambskins, woollen yarns and flocks; the two first sorts being expressly forbidden by statutes, and for the rest (the statutes being not so clear) his Majesty's proclamation may supply them; so as all being once equally prohibited, his Majesty may release it again to the new staple towns by a non obstante in their charters, as also by altering the proclamation with a saving and exception to the old staplers, if their conformity hereafter
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do deserve it. Thus your Lordship. sees the course which we think fit to be taken there. For the drawing up of the new charter and the rest which is to be acted here, order is given for it and they shall be dispatched with all expedition. And so, etc.
Lo. Archbishop of Canterbury.
Lo. Keeper.
Lo. Visc. Wallingford.
Lo. Privy Seal.
Lo. Bp of Ely.
Lo. Steward.
Mr. Vice Chamberlain.
Lo. Chamberlain.
Mr. Secr. Lake.
E. of Arundel.
Mr. of the Rolls
March 16, 1616
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