have
been convinced that an unselfish policy was the best for both countries.
But there will always be persons whose private interests clash with the
public good, and who have influence enough to secure their own advantage
at the expense of the multitude. Curiously enough, the temporary
prosperity of Ireland was made a reason for forbidding the exports which
had produced it. A declaration was issued by the English Government in
1637, which expressly states this, and places every possible bar to its
continuance. The Cromwellian settlement, however, acted more effectually
than any amount of prohibitions or Acts of Parliament, and trade was
entirely ruined by it for a time. When it again revived, and live cattle
began to be exported in quantities to England, the exportation was
strictly forbidden. The Duke of Ormonde, who possessed immense tracts of
land in Ireland, presented a petition, with his own hands, against the
obnoxious measure, and cleverly concluded it with the very words used by
Charles himself, in the declaration for the settlement of Ireland at the
Restoration, trusting that his Majesty "would not suffer his good
subjects to weep in one kingdom when they rejoiced in another." Charles,
however, wanted money; so Ireland had to wait for justice. A vote,
granting him L120,000, settled the matter; and though for a time cattle
were smuggled into England, the Bill introduced after the great fire of
London, which we have mentioned in the last chapter, settled the matter
definitively. The Irish question eventually merged into an unseemly
squabble about prerogative, but Charles was determined "never to kiss
the block on which his father lost his head."[525] He overlooked the
affront, and accepted the Bill, "nuisance" and all. One favour, however,
was granted to the Irish; they were graciously permitted to send
contributions of cattle to the distressed Londoners in the form of
salted beef. The importation of mutton, lamb, butter, and cheese, were
forbidden by subsequent Acts, and salted beef, mutton, and pork were not
allowed to be exported from Ireland to England until the general dearth
of 1757.

The commercial status of the principal Irish towns at this period (A.D.
1669), is thus given by Mr. Bonnell, the head collector of Irish customs
in Dublin: "Comparing together the proceeds of the duties for the six
years ending December, 1669, received from the several ports of Ireland,
they may be thus ranked according to t