Political Arithmetick, O R » # A DISCOURSE % Concerning, The Extent and Value of Lands, People, Buildings ; Husbandry , Manufa&ure , Commerce, Filhery, Artizans, Seamen, Soldiers 5 Publick Revenues, Intereft , Taxes, Superlucration, Regiftries, Banks3 Valuation of Men, Increafing of Seamen, of Militia's, Harbours, Situation, Ship ping, Power at Sea, &c. As the fame relates to every Country in general, but more particularly to the Territories of His Majefty of Great Britain , and his Neighbours of Holland, Zealand, and France. By Sir W~1LL1AM PETTY, Late Fellow of the Royal Society. London, Printed for Robert Clavel at the Peacock, and Hen. Mortlock at the Phxnix in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1691. .. ^ r/r> r\ r. v ~ t X T O T H E KINGS Moft Excellent MAJESTY- SIR, Htlejl eyery meditates fome fit Offering Tour Majefiy, fuch as may beji agree with your Er.aU A Dedication. the perplexed and intricate ways »nar,; of the Worldre explain d by a Very mean peice of ; and had not the DoCfrtns of . this Effay offended France, they had long fince feen the ' light , and had found Fol- ^ lowers, as well as improve¬ ments before this to the - advantage perhaps of Alan- kind. ! But this has been 1to the felicity of Your Ala- jefty's Reign, and to the expectation which the Learned have therein ; and if while <>1lr' this, I do fome honor to the ; vk Memory of a good , I can A Dedication. can alfo pay Serv, fame Teftimony of Zed and Reverence to fo great a King, it will be the utmofl zdmix¬ tion of ^ l '\ : > i'.'ivA SI R, it • Your Majefty'sMoft Dutiful 'vi'..-V tj.i f i vj yiv and Moft Oybedient Subjeft, Shelborne. Preface. the beft, and confequently not de- fpair, without ftrong and manifeft Realbns, carefully examining what¬ ever tends to leflen my hopes of the publick Welfare. I have therefore thought fit to examin the following Perfwafions, which I find too currant in the World, and too much to have af¬ fected the Minds of fome, to the prejudice of all. v't%. Ifm'ny' That the Rents of Lands are concern- generally fall'n; that therefore, and ufcifaecff°r nwfty other Realbns, the whole England. Kingdom grows every day poorer and poorer; that formerly it a- bounded with Gold, but now there is a great lcarcity both of Gold and Silver ;that there is no Trade nor Employment for the People, and yet that the Land is under-peopled; rhat Taxes have been many and great Preface. n0!c' great} that Ireland and the Planta- ^ fidfis in America and other Addi- ~T,V'* tions to the Crown, are a Burthen to England; that Scotland is of no Advantage; that Trade in gene¬ ra ral doth lamentably decay; that " ''ac the Hollanders are at our heels, in >i the race of Naval Power; the French statu grow too faft upon both, and ap- «iii pear lb rich and potent, that it is but their Clemency that they do not devour their Neighbors; and Lmi finally, that the Church and State ratal of England, are in the fame dan- nen* gcr with the Trade of pear with many other difmal Sugge¬ st} ftions, which I had rather ltifle than repeat. Gdcai Qjjji-oi 'Tistrue, the Expence of foreign Jfj"' % -J Commodities hath of late been too dices of ropW 8reat' muc^ °f out Plate, had it Kngl'ld ... remain'd Money, would have bet- Preface, ter ferved Trade,- too many Mat¬ ters have been regulated by Laws, which Nature, long Cuftom, and general Confent, ought only to have governed; the Slaughter and Deftruction of Men by the late Civil Wars and Plague have been great} the Fire at , and Difafter at Chatham, have begot¬ ten Opinions in the Valgus of the World to our Prejudice; the Non- conformifts increafe; the People of Ireland think long of their Set¬ tlement; the there appre¬ hend themfelves to be Aliens, and are forced to feek a Trade with Foreigners, which they might as well maintain with their own Re¬ lations in England. But notwith- ftanding all this (the like whereof rh im- was always in all Places), the ^ments of Buildings of London grow great England, and glorious; the American Planta¬ tions *) ' 'TrcfdCt tions employ four Hundred Sail of Ships; Anions in the Company are near double the prin¬ cipal Money ; thofe who can give good Security, may have Money under the Statute-Intereft; Materials for building (even Oaken-Timber) are little the dearer, lome cheaper for the rebuilding of London; the Exchange fecms as full of Mer¬ chants as formerly ; no more Beg¬ gars in the Streets, nor executed tor Thieves, than heretofore; the Number of Coaches, and Splen¬ dor of Equipage exceeding former Times; the publique Theatres ve¬ ry magnificent; the King has a greater Navy, and ftronger Guards than before our Calamities ; the Clergy rich, and the Cathedrals in repair; much Land has been im¬ proved, and the Price of Food to reafonable, as that Men refute a 3 to Tr'eface to have it cheaper, by admitting of Infh Cattle j And in brief, no Man needs to want that will take moderate pains. That fome are poorer than others, ever was and ever will be: And that many are naturally querulous and envious, is an £vil as old as the World. Thefe general Obfervations, and that Men eat, and drink, and laugh as they ufe to do, have encou¬ raged me to try if I could alio comfort others, being fatisfied my felf, that the Inter eft and Affairs of England are in no deplorable Condition. The au- The Method I take to do this, tkor's Me- • t J tied and is not yet very ulual; for lnltead tfMArgu. ufing °nly comparative and fu- >"S- * perlative Words, and intelle&ual Arguments, 1 have taken the courfe (as a Specimen of the Political A- rithmetick X . i — ■ THE Principal Conclufions OF THIS TREATISE ARE, CHAP. I. That a fmall Country, and few People, may ly their Situ¬ ation, Trade, and Policy, he equiva¬ lent in Wealth and Strength, to a far greater People, and Territory. And particularly , How conveniencies for Shipping, and Water Carriage, do mojt Eminently, and Fundamentally, conduce thereunto. Pag. i £hap. II. That fome hind of Taxes, and Pullick Levies, may rather increafe than diminijh the Common-Wealth. pag. 35 Chap. ERRATA, PAgc 7. line 25. read the Xgnt. p. 8. i 21. r. a part, p. 20.1. 3. r./or cheap, p. 21. L 14. r. cold% moifl* p. 26.1. 7. r. that Church, p. 32. L 7. r. yearly profit. 1. 18. r. *0 value, p. 47. I.4. r./zfry thoufand. !. 28. r. fixteen tboufand. p. 49.1.13: r.the faukbalf together, p. 52.1.6. r.Jhould bring, p. 59. L 24, r. they coaft. p. 72.1.8. r. or above, p. 91. L 9. r.Exotics* p. 95.Li3- r f tying for. Chap .ft t. li \ W * c X vi . I »1 £ ;t ■•! /A v\ V ' ' .■ : \i . : .'i ; ? .! .i£,,q r .1 .or J*; Salt adlilitumr all weighed Goods pay befi.des the Pre mifies a vaft fumm 3 now if the expence of the People of Amjlerdam at a medi- B 4 um, [8] urn, and without Excife were 8 L per annum, whereas in England 'tis 7 /. then if all the feveral Imports above named, raife it Five Pound more, there being 16ocoo Souls in Amjlerdam, the fumrn of 800000 /. Sterling per annum will thereby be raifed. 3. Though the expence of each head, fliould be 13 /. per annum ; 'tis well known that there be few in Amjlerdam, who do not earn much more than the faid expence. 4. If Holland and Zealand pay p. an. 2100000 L then all the Provinces to¬ gether, muft pay about 3000000 /. lefs than which fumm per annum, perhaps is not fufficient to have maintained the Naval War with England, 72000 Land Forces, befides all other the ordinary Charges of their Government, where¬ of the Church is there apart: To con¬ clude, it feems from the Premifles,that all France doth not raife above thrice as much from the publick charge, as Hol¬ land and Zealand alone do. The Diffe- 5-. Intereft pf Money in France , is intercftbe- 7 '■ Per cent* but m Holland fcarce half tweenHfl/. fo much* & France. 6. The L 9 ] 6. The Countries of Holland and Zealand; confifting as it were of Iflands guarded with the Sea, Shipping, and Marfhes, is defensible at one fourth of the charge, that a plain open Country is, and where the feat of War may be both Winter and Summer; whereas in the others, little can be done but in the Summer only. 7. But above all the particulars hi- The fu- therto confidcred , that of fuperlucra- ir ■ n * 1 - tion bc- tion ought chiefly to be taken in 5 fortween if a Prince have never fo many Subje&s,F"*'7ii i Ji ucii MR *1 if 11N ftttt !:WI> irt'mi k»ki xit -j Sua 'OuU« ic ik a & r-i] rnand of Shipping, have by confcqucncc the Fifhing Trade, whereof thac of Her¬ ring alone, brings more yearly Profit to the Hollanders than the Trade of the Weft Indies to Spain, or of the Eaft to themklves, as many have affirmed, being as the lame fay viis Cf? mod is of above three Millions per annum Profit. 8. It is not to be doubted, but thofe Adrm- who have the Trade of Shipping and Fifhing, will fecurc themfelvcs of the Provifi- Trade of Timber for Ships, Boars, Malls, ons- and Cask; of Hemp for Cordage, Sails, and Nets; of Salt, of Iron; as alfo of Pitch, Tar, Rofin, Brimftonc, Oil, and Tallow, as ncccflary Appurtenances to Shipping and Fifhing., 9. Thofe who predominate in Ship- FitncGfor ping, and Fifhing, have more occafions Univolal than others to frequent all parts of the ruUC* World, and to obferve what is AVanting or redundant every where, and what each People can do, and what they de- fire, and confequendy to be the Faftors, and Carriers lot the whole World of Trade. Upon which ground they bring all Native Commodities to be Manufactured at home, and carry the fame back, even to that Country in which rtiliA Z3J1C? Husband men. c -a: Vi. able Merchants. In the Turkijh Empire 1 # 2 the Jews, and Chriftians. At Venice, jJ (hi: Naples, Legorn, Genoua, and Lishone, & . Jews ochiati; f- 1 arc Cufficient to Man effectually a .1 C; Fleet equal to what the King of England now hath ; but the Non-papift Seamen, can do above thrice as much. Wherefore he whom this latter Party doth affectio¬ nately own to be thcij Head, cannot probably be wronged in his Sea-con¬ cernments by the other ; from whence it follows, that for the advancement of Trade, (if that be a fufSpcnt rcafon) Indulgence mud be granted in matters of Opinion; though,licentiousaftings as even in Holland\ be retrained by force. The lecond Policy or help to Trade Finn Tl„ \ _ ufqd by the Hollanders, is fecuring the ties to Tides to Lands and Houfes^ for al- Jjinds and though Lands and Houfes may be cal- °acs* led Terra Firma & res immohil'is, yet the Title unto them is no more certain, _ than it pleafcs the Lawyers and Autho- rity to make them.; wherefore the Hol¬ landers do by Rcgiltries, and other ways of Afliirance make the Title as immova¬ ble as the Lands, for there can be no J V incouragement to Induftry, where there is no affurance of what (hall be gotten • ' by it; and where by fraud and corrup¬ tion, one Man may take away with : ' cafe and by a trick, and in a moment what C *8 ] what another has gotten by many Years extreme labour and pains. Of the in- There hath been much difcourfe, a- producing bout introducing of Rcgiftries into En- Regiftries *[and. t[ie Lawyers for the mod part into En- <=> . ' n - 11 i T,r, gland. object againft it, alledging that Titles of Land in England are fufficiently fe« cure already ; wherefore emitting the confederations of fmall and oblique rea- fons pro & contra, it were good that enquiry were made from rhe Officers of feveral Courts, to what fumm or value Purchafers have been damnified for this laft ten Years, by fuch fraudulent con¬ veyances vis Regiftries would have pre¬ vented 3 the tenth part whereof at a Medium, is the annual lofs which the People fuftain for want of them, and then computation is to be made of the annual charge of Regiftring fuch extraor. dinary Conveyances, as would fecure the Title of Lands \ now by comparing thefe two fumms, the Queftionfo much agitated may be determined; though fome think that though few are a£tual- ly damnified, yet that all are hindered by fear and deterred from Dealing. The Banks Their third Policy is their Bank,the ufe of Holland whereof is to encreafc Mony, or rather to make one with another, and that by the in- ftance of People in England, viz. Sup- pofe the People of England be Six Mil¬ lions in number, that their expence at 7 /. per Head be forty two Millions: fuppole alfo that the Rent of the Lands be eight Millions, and the profit of all the Perfonal Eftate be Eight Millions more; it muft needs follow, that the Labour of the People niuft have fup. plyed the remaining Twenty Six Mil¬ lions, the which multiplied by Twenty (the Mafs of Mankind being worth Twenty Years purchafe as well as Land) makes Five Hundred and Twenty Mil¬ lions, as the value of the whole People: which number divided by Six Millions, makes above 80 /. Sterling, to be va¬ lued of each Head of Man, Woman, and Child, and of adult Perfons twice as much; from whence we may learn to compute the lofs we have fuftained by the Plague, by the Slaughter of Men in War, and by the fending them abroad into the Service of Foreign Princes. The other Tradeof which the Hollanders have rid their Hands, is the old Patriarchal Trade of being Cow keepers, and in a great Meafure of that which concerns 0tot Plough- [ ti 1 Ploughing and Sowing of Corn, having put that Employment upon the Danes and Polanders, from whom they have their Young Cattle and Corn. Now here we may take notice, that as Trades and curiousr Arts incrcafc; fo the Trade of Husbandry will dccreafe, or elfc the Wages of Husbandmen muft rife, and consequently the Rents of Lands muft fall. For proof whereof I dare affirm , that if all the Husbandmen of England, who now earn but 8 J. a day or therea¬ bouts, could become Tradefmen and earn 16 d. a day (which is no great Wages z s. and 2 s. 6 d. being ufually given) that then it would be the advantage of En¬ gland to throw up their Husbandry, and to make no ufc of their Lands, but for Grafs Horfcs, Milch Cows, Gar¬ dens, and Orchards, &c. which if it be fo, and if Trade and Manufafture have increafed in England (that is to fay) if a greater part of the People, apply them- felves to thofe faculties, than there did heretofore, and if the price of Corn be no greater now, than when Husband¬ men were more numerous, and TradcE men fewer; It follows from thatfingle D realoff C who employcth the fame, in improv¬ ing of Land, in Fifhing, in working of Mines, in Manufacture, &c. It is mani- fed, that fuch Tax is an advantage to the State whereof thefaid different Per- fons are Members: Nay, if Money be taken from him, who fpendeth the lame as aforefaid upon eating and drinking, or any other perifhing Commodity ; and the fame transferr'd to one that bedow- eth it on Cloaths3 I fay, that even in this cafe, the Commonwealth hath fome little advantage; becaufe Cloaths do not altogether perilli fo foon as Meats and Drinks : But if the fame be fpent in Furniture of Houfes, the advantage is yet a little more; if in Building of Houfes, yet more; if in improving of Lands5 working of Mines, Fijhing^ &c. yet more; but mod of all, in bringing Gold and Silver into the Country : Becaufe thofe things are not only not perifliable, but are efieemed for Wealth at all times, and every where: Whereas other Com¬ modities which are perifliable, or whole value depends upon the Falhion ; or which are contingently fcarce and plen¬ tiful, are wealth, but pro hie & nunc9 as fhall be elfevvhere faid. In [ 39 ] pic arc unfit for Labour by their Infan¬ cy or Impotency * and alfo what part are exempt from the fame, by reafon of their Wealth, Function, or Dignities $ or by reafon of their charge and employ¬ ments ; otherwife than in governing, direfting and prefcrving thofe, who arc appointed to Labour and Arts. in the next place computation mud be made, what part of thofe who arc fit for Labour and Arts as aforefaid, are able to perform the work of the Na¬ tion in its prefent State and Meafure. 3. It is to be confidered, whether A judg- the remainder can make all or any part of thofe Commodities, which are Im- are advan- ported from abroad ; which of thcm,geous- and how much in particular: The re¬ mainder of which fort of People ( if any be) may fafely and without porta¬ ble prejudice to the Commonwealth,be employed in Arts and Exercifcs of plea- furc and ornament; the grcatcft where¬ of is the Improvement of natural know¬ ledge. Having thus in general illuftrated this point, which I think needs no other proof but illuftration ; I come next to intimate that no part of Europe hath D 4 paid C 4' ] * >;• Levies made in England\ Scotland, and Ireland, have been prodigioufly greater ; - , than at any time heretofore; and yet T':>: the faid Kingdoms have increafcd in their Wealth and Strength, for thefe laft Forty Years, as fhall hereafter be / ^ lhevvn. It is faid that the King of France, at prefent doth Levy the Filth Part of hisrence of" Peoples Wealth ; and yet great Often Princes tation is made of the Prefent RichesRevcnucs* and Strength of that Kingdom. Now great care muft be had in diftinguilh- ing between the Wealth of the People, and that of an abfolutc Monarch; who takcth from the People, where, when, and in what proportion he pleafeth. btt\ Moreover, the Subjeftsof two Monarchs may be equally Rich, and yet one Mo- i,: narch may be double as Rich as the ajfc" other; viz. If one take the tenth part iff# ol the Peoples Subftance to his own dib at pofe, and the other but the 20th. nay ad d the Monarch of a poorer People, may iu$ appear more fplendid and glorious, than > that of a Richer; which perhaps may be fomewhat the cafe of France , as li/xj hereafter (liall be examined. As an in¬ let flan.ee and application of what hath been net faid, [ 44 ] Ireland; that half the Hearth Money could not be raifed by reafon thereof; that the People are not a fifth part em¬ ployed; that the People and Land of Ireland, are competently qualified for Flax ; That one Penny-worth of Land, will produce Ten Shillings worth of the fame; and that there is Market enough and enough, for above an Hundred Thoufand Pounds worth; I conceive my Propofition fufficiently proved; at leaft to fet forwards and promote a practice, which both the prefent Law and Inter- eft of the Country doth require: Efpe- cially, fince if all the Flax lb produced Ihould yield nothing, yet there is no¬ thing loft; the fame time having been worfe fpent before. Upon the fame grounds, the like Tax of z s. per Head, may be raifed with the like advantage upon the People of England; which will amount to Six HundredThoufand Pound per annum; to be paid in Flax, Manufa¬ ctured, into all the forts of Linnens, Thredsy Tapes, and Laces; which we now receive from France, Flanders, Hol¬ land, and Germany; the value whereof doth far exceed the fumm laft mentioned, as hath appeared by the examination of particulars. It C 45 ] yv. It is obfervcd by Clothiers5and others, Dutiesput : who employ great numbers of poor [*" . . people, that when Corn is extremely commo- i . plentiful, that the Labour of the poor Cities may is proportionably dear: And fcarce to £frja be had at all(fo licentious are they who labour only to eat, cr tether to drink.) Wherefore when fo many Acres fown with Corn , as do ufually produce a fufficient ltore for the Nation, lhall produce perhaps double to what is ex¬ ported or necefTary; it feems not un- . reafonable that this common blefling of V God, Ihould be applied, to the com¬ mon good of all people, rcprefcntcd by ~ their Sovereign; much rather than the ,bj fame Ihould be abufed, by the vile and • ~ brutifli part of mankind, to the preju¬ dice of the Common-Wealth: Andcon- fequently, that fuch furplufagc of Corn, Ihould be fent to publick Store-houfcs ; from thence to be difpofed of, to the - beft advantage of the Publick. Now if the Corn fpent in England, at five (hillings per Bufhel Wheat, and :two Ihillings fix pence Barley, be worth ten Millions Communilus annis; it fol- - lows that in years of great plenty, when the faid Grains are one third part C! rhrnnrr - •I* C 4^ ] cheaper; that a vaft advantage might accrue to the Common Wealth, which now is fpent in over-feeding of the People , in quantity or quality; and fo indifpofing them to their ufual La¬ bour. The like may be faid of Sugar, To- lacco, and Pepper-, which cuftom hath now made neceflary to all forts of peo¬ ple ; and which the over planting of them, hath made unreafonably cheap : I fay it is not abfurd, that the Publick ihould be advantaged by this extraordi¬ nary plenty. That an Excife Ihould be laid up¬ on Corrants alfo, is not unreafonable; not only for this, but for other reafons alfo. of a Tax xhe way of the prefent Militia or Milto Trained-Bands, is a gentle Tax upon and by the Country ; becaufe it is only a few -o°^days Labour in the year, of a few Men Armies. In refpcdt of the whole; ufing their own goods, that is their own Arms. Now if there be three Millions of Males in England, there be above two hundred thoufand of them, who are between the age of fixteen and thirty, unmar¬ ried perfons; and who live by their Labour C 47 3 ct Labour and Services for of fo. many or thereabouts, the prcfent Militia con- ! d i lifts. Now if an hundred and five thoufand of thele, were Armed, and Trayned, as Foot ; and fifty thoufand as Horfe; (Horfe being of fpccial advantage in ka2 Iflands) the faid Forces at Land, with 5:? thirty thoufand Men at Seas would by Gods ordinary blefling, defend this Na- t c tion, being an Ifland, againft any Force ':h ^ view: But the charge of Arming, :c. Difciplining, and Rendezvoufing all thefe Men, twice, or thrice a year; would be a very gentle Tax, Levyed by the people themfclves, and paid to rrt themfelves. Moreover if out of the faid number 3 part were iclefted, of fuch as are more than ordinarily fit and difpofed for War, and to be Exer- u cifed, and Rcndczvoufed fourteen or fifteen times per annum; the charge thereof being but a fortnights Pay in the year, would be alfo a very gentle \h Tax- Laftly, If out of this laft mentioned number, f again fliould be fcle&ed, making about twelve thoufandFoot, and near fix thoufand Horfe, to be Excrcifed, .2 and [48] and Rendezvoufed forty da^s in tlic year ; I fay that the charge f all thefe three Militias, allowing the latter fix weeks Pay per annum; would not cofl above one hundred and twenty thoufand pound per annum ; which I take to be an eafie burthen, for fo great a be¬ nefit. For fup- Forafmuch as the prefent Navy of plying the £nrr[anj requires thirty fix thoufand Navy, and & A . , / . . n Merchants Men to Man it; and for that the Eng- with Sea- ijjfj Trade of Shipping, requires about snen# forty eight thoufand Men, to manage it alfo; it follows,-that to perform both well, there ought to be about feventy two thoufand Men, (and not eighty four thoufand)competently qualified for thefe Services: For want whereof we fee, that it is a long while, before a Royal Navy can be manned ; which till it be, is of no effectual ufe, but lies at charge. And we fee like wife upon, thefe occafions, that Merchants are put to great ftraights, and inconveniences; and do pay excef- fivc rates for the carrying on their Trade. Now if twenty four thoufand able bodyed Tradefmen, were by fix thoufand of them per annum, brought up and fitted for Sea-Service; and for their C 53 ] And as for Veffels drawing much water, and confequently keeping a good Wind, they can take or leave Leeward Veflels, at picafure, and fecure them- felves from being boarded by them : Moreover the windward Ship , has a fairer mark at a Leeward Ship, than vice verfa 5 and can place her (hot up¬ on fuch parts of the Leeward Veflel, as upon the next Tack will be under water. Now then the King of France, having no Ports able to receive large wind¬ ward Vefiels, between Dunkirk and Vjhant, what other Ships he can bring into thofe Seas, will not be confiderable. As for the wide Ocean, which his Har¬ bours of Brejt, and Char en te, do look into; it affordeth him no advantage upon an Enemy; there being fo great a Lacitude of engaging or not, even when the Parties arc in fight of each other. Wherefore, although the King of France were immenfely rich, and could build what Ships he pleafcd, both for number, and quality ; yet if he have not Ports to receive, and fhclter, that fort and fize of Shipping, which is fit for his purpofe 3 the faid Riches will in this E 1 cafe [ 57 ] n::' fuppofed , that the (aid Trade fliould * be excinguiflied, nor that it fliould fparc above five of the faid fifteen thoufand towards manning the Fleet which re- ffc quires thirty five thoufand. Now the deficient thirty thoufand The W*T* mud be fupplied , one ot thefe four t^Frencb ways, either, firft by taking in Land muft in- men, of which fort there mufl not becreafcSca* above ten thoufand, fince the Seamen m will never be contented, without being ok the major part, nor do they heartily n 11 * J II men dil- afV with well to Landmen at all, or rcjoycejikeUnd- h. even at thofe SucccfTes, of which the men. t fc Landmen can claim any fliare ; thinking ifar it hard that thcmfclvcs, who arc bred t?.r. to mifcrable , painful, and dangerous Employments, (and yet profitable to the Commonwealth) fhould at a time xz. when booty and purchafc is to be gotten, yrc be clogged or hindered, by any con- junction with Landmen, or forced to :\!r admit thofe, to an equal fliare with „ themfclves. 2. The Seamen which we fuppofc twenty thoufand, muft be had, that is hired from other Nations, which cannot be without tempting them with a fo much Wages, as exceeds what is given t 3 'Tis true, I have heard many Wife rail Men fay, when they were bewailing to( the vaft lofles of the in pre- tim venting and fupprefling Rebellions in mi Ireland, and considering how little pro- fetve fit hath returned, either to the King or If Subjc&s of England, for their Five Hun- dred Years doing and fuffering in that Terr: Country; I fay, I have heard Wife 0fth Men (in fuch their Melancholies_) wifh, we that (the People of Ireland being faved) !* Ifland were funk under Water: Now it jjJf troubles me, that the Diftemperof my py own mind in this point, carries me to could dream, that the benefit of thofe wilhes, male may pradically be obtained, without tie ti finking that vaft Mountainous Ifland un- ^ |j der Water, which I take to be fome- any what difficult 5 For although Dutch En- gineers may drain its Bogs; yet I know p no Artifls that could fink its Moun- rains. If Ingenious and Learned Men gju (among whom I reckon Sir Tho. More, dvt and Des Cartes) have difputed, That hi we who think cur felves awake, are pled or may be really in a Dream; and fince fo w the greateft abfurdities of Dreams, are but a Prepofterous and Tumultuary by, contexture of realities; I will crave the ^ umbrage v \ h [ 68 ] the Inheritance may be fold, is alfo ad¬ vanced, though perhaps not in the very feme Proportion; for zo annum in Ireland, may be worth but 8 /. and in England where Titles are very fure, a- bovejio I. in Holland above 30/. I fuppofe,that in Irela and the High- Lands in Scotland, there may be about one Million and Eight hundred thoufand People, or about a fifth part of what is in all the three Kingdoms: Where¬ fore the firft Queftion will be, whether England, Wales, and the Low-Lands of Scotland, cannot afford Food, ("that is to fay) Corn, Fifb, and Fowl, to a fifth part more People, than are at the prefent planted upon it, with the fame Labour that the faid fifth part do now take where they are? For if fo, then what is propounded is naturally poffible. z. It is to be enquired, What the value of the immovables (which upon fuch removal muft be left behind) are worth ? For if they be worth lefs, than the advancement of the price of Land in England will amount unto ; then the Propofal is to be confidered. 3- If the Relul Lands, and the immov¬ ables left behind upon them, may be ' fold C 71 ] So then the Queftion will be, whether the benefit expeded from this tranfplan- tation, will exceed Seventeen Millions > To which I fay, that the advantage will probably be near four times the laft mentioned fumm , or about Sixty nine Millions, Three Hundred thoufand Pounds. For if the Rent of all En¬ gland and Wales, and the Low-Lands of Scotland , be about Nine Millions per annum ; and if the fifth part of the People be fuperadded, unto the prefent Inhabitants of thofe Countries; then the Rent will amount unto Ten Milli¬ ons 8000/. and the number of Years purchafe, will rife from feventeen and ft to a Fifth part more, which is twen¬ ty one. So as the Land which is now worth but Nine Millions per annnm, at feventeen i Years purchafe, making 15*7 Millions and 7, will then be worth Ten Millions Eight Hundred thoufand Pounds, at Twenty one Years purchafe; viz. Two Hundred Twenty Six Millions, and Eight Hundred thoufand Pounds, that is Sixty nine Millions, and Three Hundred thoufand Pounds more than it was before. ort; So F 4 And C 71 3 tcr) is not of opinion that every Pa- rifh, one with another, hath above Five Hundred ; by which reckoning the whole People of France, are about Thirteen Millions and a half; Now the People of England, Scotland, and Ireland, * with the Iflands adjoyning, by compu- 7 tation from the nifmbcrs of Pariflies; which commonly have more People in Proteftant Churches, than in Popifh Countries ; as alfo from the Hearth- money , Vole money , and Excife, do " * amount to about Nine Millions and i. There are in New England, about 1 16000 Men muttered in Arms 5 about 14000 able to bear Arms; and confc- ::: qucntly about 1500CO in all: And I fee no reafon why in all this and the other Plantations of Afia, Africa, and America , there fliould not be half , Thf Kim? of a Million in all. But this laft I leave to every Mans conjcfturc; and confc qucntly, I luppofe, that the King of England hath about Ten Millions of A* Subjc&s, ulivis Terrarum Orlis ; and ■":C the King of France about Thirteen and O & and harii a i as aforefaid. STdft-!? ^ Although it be very material to know ¥:an"UM* the number of Subjects belonging to each Prince, C/?3 3 c Miles of Sea line, is by the like method ii or computation, about Sixty Five Miles jfe; from the Sea fide; and confidering the coi paucity of Ports, in comparifon of what i; x are in the King of England's Dominions, n\ as good as Seventy Miles diftant from ubi, a Port: Upon which grounds it is clear, b that England can be fupplied, with all •at., grofs and bulkey commodities of Fo¬ reign growth and Manufa&urc, at far Gw, cheaper rates than France can be, viz. &r. at about 4 s. per cent• cheaper; the Land ■. a carriage lor the difference of the di- ;4i fiance between England and France from •yr a Port, being fo much or near there- abouts. Now to what advantage this KK convcniency amounteth, upon the Im- portation and Exportation of Bulkey y Commodities, cannot be lefs than the fa Labour of one Million of People, • meaning by bulkey Commodities all ^ forts of Timber, Plank, and Staves for Cask^\ all Iron, head. Stones, Bricks, and Tyles for building; all Corn, Salt, and Drinks; all Fleft and /*/£, and in¬ deed all other Commodities, wherein the gain and lofs of 4 s. per Cent, is rie confiderable 5 where note that the like ^ Wines are fold in the inner parts of id Prance C 84 ] arid Salmon, exported out of Ireland, Eight hundred thoufand pounds. The value of the Coals, Salt, Lin- nen, Tarn, Herrings, Pilchers, Salmon, Linnen-Cloth, and Jar//, brought out of Scotland, and Ireland, 500000 /. The value of Salt peter , Pepper , Callicoes, Diamonds, Drugs, and £//&, brought out of the Eajl-Indies, above what was fpent in England; Eight hun¬ dred thoufand pounds. The value of the Slaves, brought out of Africa, to ferve in our American Plan¬ tations Twenty thoufand pounds; which with the Freight of Englijh Shipping, Trading into Foreign parts, being above a Million and a \ , makes in all Ten Millions one Hundred and Eighty thou¬ fand pounds. Which computation is fufficiently juftified by the Cuftoms of the Three Kingdoms, whofe intrinfick value are thought to be near a Million per annum, viz. Six hundred thoufand pounds, paya¬ ble to the King ; loo thoufand Pounds, for the charges of Collecting, &c. Two hundred thoufand pounds frnuckled by the Merchants, and one Hundred thou¬ fand pounds gained by the Farmers ; /$r — accord- c *7.:] J i • ' t%\ OJ ; " • ' h{' CHAP. V. That the Impediments of Englands great- nets, are hut contintent and remov¬ able. »j • :nr- * ' im;.- •* £t:3i3 TH E firft Impediment of greatnefs is, that the Terr it o r,ion of r/fj thereunto belonging, are too far afundcr, and divided by the Sea into EngUnd many fevcral IJlands and Countries ;is.inim- and I may fay, into fo many Kingdoms, and fevcral Governments, (viz.} there greatnefs be Three diltinft Legiflative Powers in The England, Scotland, and Ireland; the nTtu!^" which inftead of uniting together, do another often crofs one anothcrs Intereft; put- imPedl- ting Bars and Impediments upon one 1" anothcrs Trades, not only as if they were Foreigners to each other, but fomc- ^c^' times as Enemies. longing x. The Iflands of Jerfey and Gernfey, to En- and the Hie of Man, are under Junidi-^f^ ftions different from thofe , either oftion to England, Scotland, or Ireland. the Sm" * G 4 3. Thepire* Csn ] have tlicm in America, if not fome other better Trade withal, than now they can have. Seventhly, The Inhabitants of the other Plantations, although they do in¬ deed Plant Commodities, which will not grow fo well in England; yet grafping at more Land, than will luf- fice to produce the faid Exotiics in a fufficient quantity to ferve the whole World, they do therein but diftradt, and confound, the effedfc of their own Indcavours. Eighthly, There is no doubt that the fame People, far and wide difperfed, muft fpend more upon their Govern¬ ment, and Protcdtion, than the fame living compa&ly, and when they have no occafion to depend upon the Wind, Weather,and all the Accidents of the Sea. A fccond Impediment to the great- The diffe- nefsof England, is the different Under-rent Un- ftandingot feveral Material Points, viz. Of the Kings Prerogative, Privileges Preroga- of Parliament, the obfeure differencesand between Law and Equity ; as alfo be- Gf paerf£. tween Civil and Ecclefiaftical Jurisdidfi- mentXaw and In¬ quiry, Civil and Ecclefiaftical j the Supream LegifLfurc of Ire- land, &c. ons; [94 3 perly meddle with Fundamental Laws. None of thefe Impediments are Na¬ tural, but did arife as the irregularity of Buildings do, by being built, part at one time, and part at another; and by the changing of the flate of things, from what they were at the refpective times, when the Practices we complain of, were firft admitted, and perhaps, are but the warpings of time, from the re&itude of the firft Inftitution. As thefe Impediments are contin¬ gent, fo they arealfo removeable ; for may not the Land of fuperfluous Ter¬ ritories be fold, and the People with their moveables brought away ? May not the Englifh in the America Planta¬ tions (who Plant Tobacco, Sugar, &c.) compute what Land will ferve their turn, and then contra# their Habitati¬ ons to that proportion, both for quan¬ tity and quality ? as for the People of New-England\ I can but vvilh they were Tranfplanted into Old England, or Ire land (according to Propofals of their own, made within this twenty years) although they were allowed more liber¬ ty of Confcience, than they allow one another. May ■ • • • - • * ' • - - » Chap. VI. That the Power and Wealth of England hath increafed this lajl forty years. ManyTer- TT is not much to be doubted, but havcbeen A t^iat c^e Territories under the Kings added to Dominions have increafed 3 Forafmuch England as New-England, Virginia, Barbadoes, SS^and Jamaica, Tangier, and Bumlay% years, and have fince that time, been either ad - many im- fed to his Majefties Territories, or im- ments proved from a Defart condition, to a- made. bound with People, Buildings, Ship¬ ping, and the Produftion of many ufe- ful Commodities. And as for the Land of England, Scotland\ and Ireland, as it is not lefs in quantity, than it was forty years fince; fo it is manifeft that by reafon of the Dreyning of Fens, water¬ ing of dry Grounds, improving of For- ,refls9 and Commons, making of Hea¬ thy and Barren Grounds, to bear Saint- foyne , and Clovergrajs ; meliorating # and multiplying feveral forts of Fruits, and [ too] Moreover if rented Lands, and Houfes, have increafed; and if Trade hath in- ~ creafed alfo, it is certain that mony which payeth thofe Rents, and driveth on Trade, rauft have increafed alfo. Laftly, Ileave it to the confideration of all Obfervers, whether the number, o and fplendor of Coaches, Equipage, and jit, Houfbold Fueniture, hath not increafed, kfm fince that time; to fay nothing of the ml fori Poftage of Letters, which have in- created from one to twenty, which ar- mt, I gues the increate of Bufinefs, and Ne- wjf i Mony and gotiation. I might add that his Ma- htif the Pub- jeflies Revenue is near tripled, and venue^n- theref°re c^e means to pay, and bear npO d created, the fame, have increafed alfo, [ out itdH been t to which ! _ _ tbn the tarnetU of fuch: out Via lote the CHAP, jtrm the vaV few C l0i 3 Servant in the Country, which is 30 r. per annum, nor can the charge of all other Neceflaries, be lefs than 6 s. per annum more; wherefore the whole charge is 7/. It is not likely that this Difcourfe will fall into the hands of any that live at 7 I. per annum, and therefore fuch will wonder at this fuppofition : But if they confider how much the number of the Poor, and their Children, is greater than that of the Rich; although the perfonal expence of fome Rich Men, ihould be twenty times more than that of a Labourer ; yet the expence of the Labonrer above mentioned, may well e- nough ftand for the Standard of the Ex- pence , of the whole mafs of Mankind. Now if the expence of each Man, one with another, be 7 I. per annumy and if the number of the Kings Subje&s, be ten Millions, then the tenth part of the whole expence, will be feven Mil¬ lions; but about five Millions, or a ve- ry little more, will amount to one years pay for one hundred thoufand Foot, forty thoufand Hotfe, and forty thou¬ fand Men at Sea, Winter and Sum¬ mer; which can rarely be necefiary. And C 1°7] Although as hath been proved, the People o( England do thrive, and that it is poflible they might Superlucrate twenty five Millions per annum ; yet it is manifeft that they do not, nor twenty three, which is lefs by the two Millions herein meant ; for if they did Superlu¬ crate twenty three Millions, then in about five or fix years time, the whole Stock, and Perfonal Eftate of the Na¬ tion would be doubled, which I wilh were true, but find no manner of realbn to believe; wherefore if they can Su¬ perlucrate twenty five , but do not aftually Superlucrate twenty three, nor twenty, nor ten, nor perhaps five, I have then proved what was propounded; viz. That there are fparc Hands among the Kings Subjctts, to earn two Millions more than they do. But to fpeak a little more particu¬ larly concerning this matter : It is to be noted that fince the Fire of London, there was earned in four years by Tradefmen, (relating to Building onlyj the fumm ol four Millions; viz. one Million per annum, without leflening any other fort of Work, Labour, or Manufafture, which was ufually done in any [ ,09 3 might by diligence be produced, and Manufactured here. To make fhort of this matter, upon pcrufal of the moft Authentick Accompts, relating to thefe fevcral particulars, I affirm that the fame amounteth to above five Millions, whereas I proponnded but two Milli¬ ons. For a further proof whereof Mr. Sa¬ muel For try in his ingenious Difcourfc of Trade,exhibits the particulars, where¬ in it appears, that the Goods Imported out of France only, amount yearly to two Millions fix hundred thoufand pounds. And I affirm, That the Wine, Paper, Corke, Rozen, Capers, and a few other Commodities, which England cannot produce, do not amount to one fifth part of the faid fumm. From whence it follows, that (if Mr. For try hath not erred) the two Millions here men¬ tioned , may arife from France alone; and confequently five or fix Millions, from all the three Heads lafl above fpecified. Ch a pi [»»] - ■ C H A P. X. That the King of England^ Subjetts, have Stock competent and conveni¬ ent, drive the 'trade of the whole Commercial World. NOW for the further incouragement of Trade, as we have fhewn that there is mony enough in England to manage the Affairs thereof; fo we (hall now offer to confederation, whether there be not a competent, and conveni¬ ent Stock to drive the Trade of the whole Commercial World. To which purpofe it is to be remembred, That all the Commodities, yearly Exported out of every part of the laft mentioned World, may be bought for forty five Millions; and that the Shipping em¬ ployed in the fame World, are nor worth above fifteeen Millions more, and con- fequently, that fixty Millions at rnoft, would drive the whole Trade above mentioned, without any truft at all. ^ ut 04] chandizc, they will fee it reafonable, as they increafe in the number of Mer¬ chants, fo to increafe the magnitude of Trade, and confequently to increafe Stock; which may effe&ually be done, by inbanking twenty Millions worth of Land, not being above a fixth or feventh of the whole Territory of Eng¬ land; (that is to fay) by making a Fond of fuch value, to be fecurity for all Commodities, bought and fold upon the accompt of that ZJniverfal Trade here mentioned. And thus it having appeared, that England having in it, as much Land, like Holland and Zealand, as the faid two Provinces do themfelves contain, with abundance of other Land, not in¬ convenient for Trade; and that there are fpare Elands enough, to earn many Mil¬ lions of mony, more than they now do, and that there is alfo Employment to earn leveral Millions, (even from the Gonfumption of England it felf ) it fol¬ lows from thence, and from what hath been faid in the laft Paragraph, about inlarging of Stock, both of Mony, and Land; chat it is not impofiible, nay a very feafible matter, for the King of England's C i>5 3 England's Subjefts, to gain the Vniver- fal Trade of the whole Commercial World. Nor is it unfeafonable to intimate this matter, forafmuch as the younger Brothers, of the good Families of Eng¬ land^ cannot otherwife be provided for, ib as to live according to their Birth and Breeding : For if the Lands of England are worth eight Millions per annum, then there be at a medium about ten thoufand Families, of about 800 I. per annum; in each of which, one with ano¬ ther, we may fuppofe there is a younger Brother, whom lefs than two or 300/. per annum will not maintain fuitablc to his Relations: Now I fay that neither the Offices at Court, nor Commands in our ordinary Army and Navy, nor Church Preferments; nor the ufual Gains by the Profcflion of the Law, and Phy- fick; nor the Employments under No¬ blemen, and Prelates; will, all of them put together, furnifh livelyhoods of a- bovc 300 /. per annum, to three thoufand of the faid ten thoufand younger Bro¬ thers : wherefore it remains that Trade alone muft fupply the reft. But if the faid feven thoufand Gentlemen, be ap- plyed to Trade* without increafing of 1 x Trade? c 1.6 3 Trade; or if we hope to incrcafe Trade, without increafing of Stock, which for ought appears is only to be done, by imbanking a due proportion of Lands, and Mony ; we mull neceffarily be difappointed. Where note, that felling of Lands to Foreigners for Gold and Silver, would inlarge the Stock of the Kingdom: Whereas doing the fame be¬ tween one another, doth effect nothing. For he that turneth all his Land into Mony, difpofes himfelf for Trade5 and he that parteth with his Mony for Land, doth the contrary : But to fell Land to Foreigners, increafeth both Mony and People,and confequently Trade. Where¬ fore it is to be thought, that when the Lavys denying Strangers to Purchafe, and not permitting them to Trade, without paying extraordinary Duties, were made; that then, the publick State of things, and Intereft of the Na¬ tion, were far different from what they now are. Having handled thefe ten Principal CoYiclufions, I might go on with others, ad infinitum; But what hath been al¬ ready faid , I look upon as fufficient, for to fhew what f mean by Political A'ithmetick 5 C "7] Arithmetick; and to fliew the ufes of knowing the true ftate of the People, Land, Stock, Trade, &c. 2. That the Kings Subje&s are not in fobad a condi¬ tion, as difcontented Men would make them. 3. To fhew the great effed of Vnity, indujlry, and oledience, in order to the Common Safety, and each Man's particular happinefs. FINIS.