The Irish Statute Staple Books, 1596-1687

"The Irish staple was established in the 13th century to regulate trade in basic or staple goods, which could only be sold to foreign merchants in designated staple towns. It also provided a sure way for traders to recover their debts, and by the early 17th century, the real significance of the staple lay in the regulation of debt. The surviving 17th century staple records provide a guide to indebtedness and the social and economic history of early modern Ireland. These records also offer an opportunity to analyze the processes inherent in colonization at local level, as they contain detailed entries--amounting to over 4,000 transactions--emanating from every county in Ireland"--Publisher's description.