'Though none of these arguments prevaile with you, yet I shall pray that nothing of evil consequent to the things, from which I have dissuaded you, prevail upon you. The desire of your encrease in knowledge, and (in order thereunto) of your health, hath made me thus troublesome; for if what I have said, came from any other principle, I should be ashamed to write myselfe thus confidently
'Sr,
'Your obliged servant,
'Wm. Petty.[1]
'Dublin, 15 April, 1653.'
While the preliminaries of the survey were being arranged, the struggle between the supporters of Henry Cromwell and of Fleetwood had continued. Although the latter treated Dr. Petty with great confidence, he was personally too much under the influence of the Anabaptist officers to throw over Worsley. The fortunes of Dr. Petty and his rival accordingly varied in regard to the survey, according to the advantage gained by one side or the other in the general political contest. The final result depended to a great extent on events in England; and when, after the dissolution of Cromwell's First Parliament in January 1655, the breach between the Protector and the fanatical party had greatly widened, the issue in Ireland was no longer doubtful. It was known to be a mere question of time how soon Fleetwood would leave. After several journeys to and fro, Henry Cromwell finally took up his official residence at Dublin in July 1655, and, owing to the emptiness of the Exchequer, it was decided to proceed with the second great disbandment of the army at once. Fleetwood retired to England in the September following, still retaining, however, the title and precedence of Lord Deputy. Dr. Petty could now feel secure, and he entered on his task with confidence.[2]
He found his ablest assistants in his cousin John, who shared his own talents in mapping and surveying, and in Mr.
