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To His Highness the Lord Protectors Councill for the Affaires of Ireland.
May it please your Lordshipps,
In pursuance of your honours order of reference of the 2d of Ffebruary instant, uppon the petition of Dr William Petty, with the same hereunto annexed, wee have considered of the contents thereof, and what the Dr hath further offered pursuant thereunto, and doe humbly present the state thereof, with the best remedy wee can at present conceive, to your Lordshipps consideration.
Wee find that of the 971li appearing to us, as is sett forth in his petition, to bee due unto him, besides what was then deducted from the army on his behalfe, there hath been since the time of his petition exhibited to your Lordshipps a farther deduction of 114li 10s 5d; and that there is due, according to the same rules of deduction, from the severall forces or companyes of the Irish regiments now in England, with the two companyes in the Isles of Buffin and Aron, the summe of 242li 9s 1d, which may bee very well secured and obtained, and those two summes, making 356li 19s 6d, provided the latter, by such wayes and meanes as may bee offered for calling in the same, bee made good unto him, will reduce his demand and arreare; and that which can not, or any part thereof, bee required of the present army, to the summe of 614li 8s 9d, which falls to bee in arreare by reason of many that were satisfyed the last yeare, who did not pay their full proportions, and numbers of others, as well supernumeraries as single persons, satisfyed, both the last year and this, from whome the deduction of their respective portions could not bee made or otherwise had, being not in a course of pay with the army.
To repaire which there is, as wee conceive, but one of these two wayes to bee used, vizt:
To give him allowance for the same out of such reimbursements as by contract he is to make to the Commonwealth for money paid to the old surveyors.
Or, for that it appeares unto us, whereoff hee is fully satisfyed, that there is exceeding his demand due from such supernumeraries, single persons, and others as before exsprest, who have not paid any thing, or but part of what they ought, you give him allowance thereout, by way of increase above his demand, adequate to his paines, industry, and hazard hee shall run in the obtaining thereof, provided you impower him for that purpose in such way and by such meanes as he may propose unto your Lordshipps, and you may think meet to consent unto;
