In 1650 William Petty, who was educated in France and in the Netherlands, became doctor of medicine, professor of anatomy, fellow and vice-chancellor of Brasenose College, Oxford.

8 p. In 1647 and 1648 William Petty had published to short pamphlets: The Advice to Hartlib for The Advancement of some particular Parts of Learning and A Declaration concerning the newly invented art of Double Writing.

One year after the publication of this Proceedings between Sankey and Petty, Petty published his Reflections upon some persons and things in Ireland, a much larger essay of 200 pages, in which he gave much more information about the Down Survey and also reflected on the charges made against him.

The pamphlet first gives a list of six charges brought to the notice of Parliament by Sankey on March 24, 1658/9, with the answers by Petty, given on April 21.

For instance in Fitzmaurice's Life of Sir William Petty two chapters are devoted to the survey and its aftermath.

The political controversies on the future of Ireland (and England) played an important role in the background.