Down Survey - Allegations of Fraud

Allegations of Fraud

In the 1650s, Petty was charged with fraud in the survey, by several members of Parliament, particularly Sir H Sankey - illustrating that this survey involved fortunes for speculators and creditors of the Cromwell government. The allocations of land to Petty by the army in lieu of payment were alleged to be over-stated. His work in allocating the lands also made him open to attack and bribery by those seeking allocation of the limited lands.

Following investigations, he was acquitted, but a dissenting report accused him of magnifying the debt due to him by the army, of charging the army with debts not really due by them, of reserving for himself portions of choice lands.

Although never convicted of mis-appropriation, charges related to the Irish survey pursued Petty for a number of years. In 1660, Petty published a pamphlet, "Reflections upon some persons and things in Ireland" where he explained that he had defected from the ranks of scientists to doing the survey ...

in order to demonstrate to the public the utility of a scientific training.

He further explains his unpopularity by the need to attack him rather than directly attack his leader, Henry Cromwell.