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peace during the reign of the late K¢ Charles would have 
been more serviceable to y® public in such a work y” unneces- 
sary watching and warding; and by being kept in continuall 
action would have been hardened, and made fitter for service 
in time of need y™ by such a lazy life as commonly soldiers 
lead in time of peace. We discourse, but w™ how much truth 
I cannot tell, of bottomless bogs; if any such thing be, I sup- 
pose they must be about y* West of Ireland, where a vast 
tract of sea, continually beating upon a low shoare, hinders y° 
earth from knitting, keeping it in a spungy loose texture; and 
y' may possibly be y* reason of soe many bogs in Ireland more 
y" in other countrys of its bigness. Yet I will not lay the blame 
altogether upon nature, and excuse my countrymen from con- 
tributing by y* lazyness to y" own misery; it is soe naturall to 
y™ y' 1 cannot suspect but y‘it was as great in former ages as 
now ; for I question not but some of what is now bog land 
was formerly woodland, and some under other husbandry, 
w™ by neglect of culture grew in time to have many broad 
patches of standing water; this soe formed y° globe y* it was 
unfitt for any of those production w™ other land yields for the 
service of mankind. A good numerous colony of Dutch, who 
have given such demonstraéén of y™ industry at home, would 
doe us this service, and a great many others y’ we stand in 
need of, as the erecting of manufactures and sowing of new 
grains for the use of those manufactures; and others for pasture, 
sorts of husbandry w™ have [been] attempted by some few, 
but, like all noveltys, fell again for want of followers. 
‘¢ « The quantity of unprofitable land now in Ireland would 
find work for a great army to reduce it to profitable, w®, if 
undertaken by y* Crown of England, would in time turn to 
its advantage. The Romans in time of peace used to employ 
y’ armys in building of publick Inns, Hospitalls, and Work- 
houses, in making of causeways, bridges, and vast aquaducts, 
and other structures of public use and greatness, and if the 
same were practised here when ever it shall please God to 
