ASTONS' SUIT.

That the King would grant him license for 12 years to transport within that time 2,000 lasts of raw hides and 3,000 tons of rendered tallow, paying the King yearly during the said term 800l.

Reasons to prove the goodness of the Suit.

The King in 12 years shall receive for his customs 9,600l.

There is partly by licenses from the Dep. and otherwise sent out of the realm more salt hides in number than is here demanded, and the King has no profit by them.

It is in the choice of the Irish subject to sell or not to sell these commodities to such as must receive benefit by the grant, for none will now buy but at undervalue, because they must stand to the hazard of their confiscation if they be discovered. And if it be for the country's good that a stranger should benefit by the exportation, and not themselves, they will sooner invite them to make use of them than the restraint of the law which thay have found to many several desires to avoid. If any prejudice be given to the Irish subject by the grant of this license it is damnum sine injuria, for themselves are the instruments of their own ill, and volenti not fit injuria, and the English shall profit by their loss, which may seem rather a purchase than a prejudice, for the greatest part of the aforesaid hides shall be transported into England, whereby many people would be set a work, as is already in the counties of Chester and Lancaster by the Irish yarn.

Reasons against the Suit.

The merchants of Ireland would be discontented at the grant, being the chiefest merchandise which they transport.

The grant forbids any selling of hides but in open market whereby some men would be constrained to carry their hides 20 miles, and perhaps make an ill market, which would be grievous to the subject in general, and the merchant stranger also is restrained.

The imposition of 5s. upon every dicker of hides transported (being not heard of before), would give factious people occasion to speak against the Government, especially being for a particular end to restrain the general and to license anyone and his assignee to buy where and when they list, and to transport for the old custom.

The rent paid to the King will not countervail the loss of the love of his people, nor the loss which will ensue in his customs.

The merchant strangers, by whom the King is to receive his greatest benefit by customs, should have nothing to pay in this kingdom to return their money in, which they receive here, if this proclamation proceed, which will decay their traffic and lose the King 100l. yearly at least in his customs; but, what is more uncertain, all other commodities of this kingdom being forbidden to be transported by statute although some are set at liberty to the mislike of the subjects that any particular is preferred before them.

The proclamation can be no restraint of transportation of raw hides, but will increase the sending them over, and increase the price of leather exceedingly.

The undertakers of Mounster and Ulster have liberty to transport their hides, and they will bring none to the market.

In most of the market towns in the kingdom there is not a tanner within 20 miles of the market, and in Ulster there is but one that tans hides as they ought to be wrought.

In this city, which is the principal of the kingdom, few butchers, are of ability to buy beeves without loan of money from the merchants, who will not part with it to him but upon condition to have the hides at a price, and so they never come to the markets; if this be restrained the city and we shall be ill served with provision of this kind. Besides all which there is not 40,000 hides transported out of the kingdom in one year, nor in two, as may be collected by certificate of the customs which I send herewith.

Written by Carew. Endorsed by Carew.