f our
proceedings.

This Corporation of Weavers in Woollen and Silks, who have so frequently
offered proposals both to your Grace and to me, are the hottest and
coldest generation of men that I have known. About a month ago they
attended your Grace, when I had the honour to be with you, and designed
me then the same favour. They desired you would recommend to your clergy
to wear gowns of Irish stuffs, which might probably spread the example
among all their brethren in the Kingdom, and perhaps among the lawyers
and gentlemen of the University and among the citizens of those
Corporations who appear in gowns on solemn occasions. I then mentioned a
kind of stuff, not above eightpence a yard, which I heard had been
contrived by some of the trade and was very convenient. I desired they
would prepare some of that or any sort of black stuff on a certain day,
when your Grace would appoint as many clergymen as could readily be
found to meet at your Palace, and there give their opinions; and that
your Grace's visitations approaching you could then have the best
opportunity of seeing what could be done in a matter of such
consequence, as they seemed to think, to the woollen manufacture. But
instead of attending, as was expected, they came to me a fortnight
after, with a new proposal; that something should be writ by an
acceptable and able hand to promote in general the wearing of home
manufactures, and their civilities would seem to fix that work upon me.
I asked whether they had prepared the stuffs, as they had promised, and
your Grace expected; but they had not made the least step in the matter,
nor as it appears thought of it more.

I did some years ago propose to the masters and principal dealers in the
home manufactures of silk and wool, that they should meet together, and
after mature consideration, publish advertisements to the following
purpose.[101] That in order to encourage the wearing of Irish
manufactures in silk and woollen, they gave notice to the nobility and
gentry of the Kingdom, That they the undersigned would enter into bonds,
for themselves and for each other, to sell the several sorts of stuffs,
cloths and silks, made to the best perfection they were able, for
certain fixed prices, and in such a manner, that if a child were sent to
any of their shops, the buyer might be secure of the value and goodness,
and measure of the ware, and lest this might be thought to look like a
monopoly any other member of the tr