Page:Petty 1851 The Down Survey.djvu/129

 Killagha, &c., and the west ffractions in Magunnity, with much of the mountaine called Sleavelogher, in the barony of Trughanackny, Magunnity, Clanmorris, and Iraght-Icannor, wee were at a loss, for the like quantity that wee were about to returne unprofitable in the more habitable places was even as good as many whole denominations consisted of in the said places, except some small spotts of arable that was in some of them, and yet goeing by the names of plowlands and parishes, &c.; some mens whole estates consisting of such like; some of the said denominations wholly without arable. Soe that wee did not know what to doe, but was very inquisitive of those that had been inhabitants in the said places, and of our bounders; soe that wee did clearly see that something had been made of those places, and something might be made of them againe if stocked with catle; and wee did not judge it safe to take uppon us to cast away towne lands, parishes, nay even allmost barronyes, wholly for unprofitable. Wee could, allthough wee did at first soe judge, having never been in the like places before, yett having information of the aforesaid, and seeing that the said places were returned in the abstracts, and as plowlands and as parishes, and were some mens whole estates, and that wee were informed that the said course plowlands formerly paid contribution or taxes with the rest of the countrey, when the same was leavied by plowlands, therefore we could not but judge these places good for something, and resolved to make something of them.

Nevertheless one of us sent to the said Dr Petty for his advice in the case, who returned his answer to follow our instructions, which said instructions did not give us any information what land to call profitable or unprofitable, saveing profitable lands by severall titles, vizt, arable, meadow, and pasture; and then makes mention of the severall kinds of pasture land, vizt, rocky, fursy, stony, heathy, mountainouse, and bogg, &c., as aforesaid, soe that these titles did include all that was in doubt as aforesaid. Soe that according to instructions and information of the said countrey, that wee doubted of, was, and must of necessity be called profitable in itts kind; but yet wee were in doubt, judging that it was not fitt that such lands should be accounted and given out in satisfaction for good lands, much of it being not worth the quitt rents; but there being noe provision made in such cases, wee did what wee thought most convenient and safe, which was that wee have now done, and presented to your Lordshipps in our plotts and bookes.

Att our comming into the said county, and for a considerable time after, the