French dominions.
In consequence of this claim from England, that kingdom may very
reasonably demand the benefit of all our commodities in their natural
growth, to be manufactured by their people, and a sufficient quantity of
them for our use to be returned hither fully manufactured.
This, on the other side, will be of great benefit to our inhabitants
the graziers; when time and labour will be too much taken up in manuring
their ground, feeding their cattle, shearing their sheep, and sending
over their oxen fit for slaughter; to which employments they are turned
by nature, as descended from the Scythians, whose diet they are still so
fond of. So Virgil describeth it:--
Et lac concretum cum sanguine bibit equino;
Which, in English, is bonnyclabber[144] mingled with the blood of
horses, as they formerly did, until about the beginning of the last
century luxury, under the form of politeness, began to creep in, they
changed the blood of horses for that of their black cattle, and, by
consequence, became less warlike than their ancestors.
Although I proposed that the army should be collectors of the public
revenues, yet I did not thereby intend that those taxes should be paid
in gold or silver; but in kind, as all other rent: For, the custom of
tenants making their payments in money, is a new thing in the world,
little known in former ages, nor generally practised in any nation at
present, except this island and the southern parts of Britain. But, to
my great satisfaction, I foresee better times; the ancient manner
beginneth to be now practised in many parts of Connaught, as well as in
the county of Cork; where the squires turn tenants to themselves, divide
so many cattle to their slaves, who are to provide such a quantity of
butter, hides, or tallow, still keeping up their number of cattle; and
carry the goods to Cork, or other port towns, and then sell them to the
merchants. By which invention there is no such thing as a ruined farmer
to be seen; but the people live with comfort on potatoes and
bonnyclabber, neither of which are vendible commodities abroad.
A
VINDICATION
OF
HIS EXCELLENCY JOHN, LORD CARTERET.
NOTE.
JOHN CARTERET, EARL GRANVILLE, succeeded to the Carteret
barony at the early age of five years. He was the son of George,
the first Baron Carteret, and was born in 1690. He was educated at
Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, from which l
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