After many previous efforts,
they at length induced both Houses of the English Parliament to address
William the Third on what they were pleased to consider a grievance--the
grievance of having foreign markets open to Irish woollens equally with
their own. To those addresses the King replied that he would do all in
his power to "discourage" the woollen trade in Ireland, to encourage the
linen trade, and _to promote the trade of England_.[41] Accordingly, a
duty equal to a prohibition was imposed upon the exportation of Irish
woollens, except, indeed, to England and Wales, where they were not
required--England at the time manufacturing more woollens than were
necessary for her home consumption. About forty thousand people in
Ireland were thrown out of bread by this law, nearly every one of whom
were Protestants; for that trade was almost entirely in their hands, so
that neither Palesman nor Protestant was spared when their interests
seemed opposed to those of England. William's declaration on this
occasion about encouraging the linen manufacture in Ireland was regarded
as a compact, yet it was violated at a later period by the imposition of
duties.[42] The jealousy and unkindness of the prohibitory duty on the
export of woollens is exposed by the able author of the "Groans of
Ireland," who says: "It is certain that on the coasts of Spain, and
Portugal, and the Mediterranean, in the stuffs, etc.
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