User:Dick Bos/sandbox3/History of the Down Survey (Petty)

The History of the Survey of Ireland commonly called The Down Survey by Doctor William Petty A.D. 1655-6 is a book written by William Petty in 1659, and published in print by Thomas Aiskew Larcom for the Irish Archaeological Society in 1851.

William Petty wrote the text after he had managed the so called Down Survey of Ireland in 1655 and 1656. In 1659 he produced this detailed overview of the history of the survey and of the official documents that were related to it.

In contrast to two other publications concerning the Down Survey, that were of a polemical character, and that were written as a defence against accusations of bribery and fraund that were brought against him, the History of the Down Survey is "extremely dull". In his Proceedings between Sankey and Petty (1659) and more extensively in Reflections upon some Persons and Things in Ireland, Petty had answered to the allegations that were made against him by his criticasters, of whom Jerome Sankey was one of the most eminent spokesmen. In the Reflections he had also mentioned the "large Volume" with more detailed information concerning the Down Survey, that he had compiled. But that volume would not be published until 1851.

Bibliographical information


There is also an edition entitled "History of the Cromwellian survey of Ireland, A.D. 1655-6: Commonly called "The down survey". The contents of this edition are exactly the same as the contents of the History of the Survey of Ireland (etc.)''.

The book has had several reprints.
 * 1967 - New York : Augustus M. Kelley
 * 1997 - London: Routledge / Thoemmes

Already in his Reflections upon Ireland (1660), Petty had mentioned a treatise "being an History of the Survey and Distribution of the forfeited Lands in Ireland, and withal a Series of my own Services and Sufferings, with reference thereunto, and to that nation; which work consists chiefly of all Acts of Parliament, Resolves of General Assemblies of the Army, Orders of the Councel, Acts of Councels of Warr, Results of Committees, Petitions of Agents, References, Reports and Accompts, &c. relating to all and singular the premisses: all which pieces are I hope intended and fitted close to the matters and things they pretend to handle respectively." He did also mention a "Book of the History of the Down Survey" in his last will.

Mr Handcock, in a testimony before the committee on the Down Survey in 1813, told that he had seen documents connected with the Down Survey in the possession of the Shelburne family, deposited in Shelburne House, Stephen's Green, Dublin, about the year 1777. To Larcom this made it probable that the History of the Down Survey was also among "the muniments of the family".