OPINION of ROBERT COGAN touching the Customs.

[* In Carew's hand.] Cogan's opinion touching the customs.

According to your desire, I have set down my opinion how much the customs of this kingdom of Ireland may yield in present to the King, upon observation made in my last travel into the ports. Whatsoever I shall here deliver is grounded upon uncertainties, being partly out of some inquiry made in my last travel to the ports, when I settled the officers to collect the customs, and partly by my own observation which I took from port to port, having no other course, because there has not been any orderly form taken in this kingdom to attain the true knowledge thereof as in England, by reason there were no officers to collect the customs, and therefore no books put into the Exchequer.

Dublin.--This city because the state of the whole kingdom is continually resident here, and the four terms are kept here, all the kingdom resorts hither, by which means the trade is far greater than in any other port, and yet the exportation is more than a fourth part less than the importation, viz., in corn, hides, yarn, wool and fells, tallow, rugs, &c., which I value at 20,000l. per annum. The importation consists of mercery wares, silks, linen cloth, woollen cloth, grocery, and other commodities, which the merchants of this city buy in London and Chester, and bring hither. Some other are brought from beyond the seas as wines, iron, salt, &c. which may amount unto 80,000l. per annum.

Droghedagh.--In this town the exportation is much more than the importation. Here is transported great store of yarn, many hides, woolfells, tallow, furs, and such other commodities, and make their returns out of England for the most part in money and some few commodities, both which may be worth about 20,000l.

Wexforde.--Exports: timber, pipestaves, hides, tallow, woolfells, and herrings. Imports: wines, iron, salt, &c. I value the exports and the imports at 4,000l. per annum.

Rosse.--A poor ruined town, out of trade, but one of the best harbours for shipping in the kingdom. A ship of 500 tons may ride afloat fast by the quay. The exports: hides, tallow, woolfells, rugs, friezes, and pipestaves. Imports: wine iron, salt, &c., I value 2,000l.

Waterford.--This city the second for trade in this kingdom by reason of the commodiousness of the river for bringing in and dispersing all things up the river. Trade outwards: friezes, rugs, corn, hides, tallow, woolfells, pipestaves, &c., which they transport into Spain, and make their returns in wine, iron, salt, and English wares from Brystoll fair, twice a year. I value the exports and imports 30,000l.

Dungarvan.--A very poor fisher town. Chief trade of this place, transport of the fish taken there, which is hake in great abundance, herrings and salmon, some hides, &c. Value, 1,000l.

Youghall.--This town has a commodious haven for shipping, and increases both in habitation and trade by reason of the English that daily resort thither out of the western parts to inhabit and plant thereabouts. Exports: timber, pipestaves, salmon, hides, rugs, friezes, tallow, woolfells, &c. Imports wines, iron, salt, and many English commodities. Value, 3,000l.

Cork.--This city is a very populous place, but inferior in trade to Waterford. Exports: rugs, friezes, hides, tallow, woolfells, pipestaves, &c. The returns are in wines, iron, salt, and commodities from Brystoll fair, twice a year. Exports, 20,000l. per annum.

Kinsale.--A poor town ruined by the last rebellion, but one of the best harbours in the kingdom. It depends most upon fishing of pilchards, herrings, and hake, which are taken in the harbour. There is also transported some hides, beef, tallow, and woolfells, and make their returns in wine, iron, and salt, 1,000l. per annum.

Dingelecush.--This town is a poor ruined place, lies far remote from any part of the kingdom, and therefore there is little trade except fishing of hake which is in great abundance, and bought by the merchants of Waterford and Cork who likewise buy great store of hides, beef, and tallow, transported by them from their own ports, so that this place will yield but small custom.

Limeric.--This city has a fair commodious river, and stands in a fertile soil, and yet the trade is but small in comparison with the other cities. It consists of corn, hides, pipestaves, woolfells, skins, tallow, salmon, and beef, and returns wines, iron, salt, and English commodities from Brystoll fair, twice a year. Value, 10,000l. per annum.

Galway.--This town is situated in a bay. Country about it, very rocky and barren, trade great, chiefly in transporting hides, yarn, woolfells, beef, furs, &c., returns wine, iron, salt, and some commodities out of England which may amount unto per annum 20,000l.

Total sum of exports and imports of these cities and towns amounts to the sum of 211,000l.

Of the rest of the towns which lie northwards I cannot as yet satisfy you, because I never saw them, but by conjecture, they are not many, neither do I conceive them to be of any great trade, but consisting chiefly of fishing for salmon and herring, which is in great abundance and may yield the King a great profit, being carefully looked into. There are also transported many hides, yarn, tallow, and sheepskins, beef, &c., which will help to increase the King's customs, when officers are placed in them as in other towns.

Copy.