Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/46

 measure, which in the clauses relating to finance and those limiting the exercise of the royal prerogative of pardon, bore the impress of the suspicions of the Parliamentary leaders, that the sympathies of the King were as much with the Irish rebels, in whom he saw possible allies, as with his own army, in whom he recognised probable foes. The force so raised, however, never crossed St. George's Channel at all, for the funds, having found their way into the Parliamentary treasury, were used for equipping the armies of Essex and Manchester, which fought at Edgehill and Newbury. Subsequently fresh advances were made; and owing to the everincreasing necessities of the Commonwealth, the adventurers, under the 'doubling ordinance,' became entitled to receive double the original allotment for an increase of one-fourth in the amount advanced.

When Ireland was finally conquered, it was by a portion of the New Model Army of Cromwell and Fairfax, aided by some Royalist regiments which, after the second flight of the Marquis of Ormonde, took service with the Commonwealth against the native rebellion. The arrears of pay to all these regiments formed a second category of the obligations of the Government, and it was proposed to satisfy them out of Irish lands at 'adventurers' rates.' The debt due to the latter was 360,000l.; that due to the army was put at 1,550,000l. A third category of creditors consisted of a number of persons who had advanced money on various occasions to help the necessities of the Commonwealth, or to whom money was owing for salaries and otherwise.

The whole matter had been dealt with by an Act passed on August 12, 1652, and by two Orders of Council of June 1 and June 22, and a set of further instructions of July 2, 1653; all ultimately recited and incorporated in an Act of Parliament, passed on September 26, in the so-called 'Little Parliament.' The Church and Crown lands were thereby