The present state of England. Part III. and Part IV. containing I. an account of the riches, strength, magnificence, natural production, manufactures of this island, with an exact catalogue of the nobility, and their seats, &c., II. the trade and commerce within it self, and with all countries traded to by the English, as at this day established, and all other matters relating to inland and marine affairs : supplying what is omitted in the two former parts ...

CHAP. VIII. That there are spare Hands enough a∣mongst the King of England's Sub∣jects to earn two Millions per An∣num more then they now do, and that there are also Imployments ready, proper and sufficient, for the purpose.

TO prove this point, we must inquire how much all the People could earn if they were disposed or necessitated to La∣bour, and had work whereupon to imploy themselves, and compare the Summ with that of the Total Expence abovemention∣ed; deducting the Rents and profit of their Land and Stock, which properly speaking saveth so much Labour. Now the proceed of the said Land and Stock in these Countries is about three parts of seven of the whole Expence; so as where the expence is seventy thousand, the Rent of the Land and profit of all Personal Estate, interest of money &c. must be about thirty thousand, and consequently the value of the Labour forty

thousand; that is, four pound per Head; but it is to be noted, that about a quar∣ter of the Mass of Mankind are Children Males and Females under seven Years old, from whom little Labour is to be expected; it is also to be noted that about another tenth part of the whole people are such as by Reason of their great Estates, Tythes, Dignities, Offices, and professions are ex∣empt from that kind of Labour; we now speak of their business being or ought to be to Govern, Regulate, and direct the La∣bours and Actions of others, so that of Ten Millions there be about six thousand & a half, or two thirds which if need requires might actually Labour, and of these some might earn three Shillings a Week, some five Shil∣lings and some seven Shillings, that is, all of them might earn five Shillings a Weak at a medium one with another, or at least Ten pound per Annum, allowing for Sickness and other Accidents whereby the whole might earn fifty six thousand pound per Annum, that is, twenty five more then the Ex∣pence.

The Author of the State of England saies that the Children of Norwich between six and sixteen Years old do earn twelve thousand pound per Annum more then they spend. Now for as much as the people of Norwich

are a three hundredth part of all the peo∣ple in England (as appears by the Accompt of Hearth-money) and about the five hundredth part of all the Kings Subjects throughout the World, it follows that all his Majesties Subjects between six and six∣teen Years old might earn five thousand per Annum more then they spend. Again forasmuch as the number of People above sixteen Years old are double the number of those between six and sixteen, and that of each men can earn double to each of the Children, it is plain that if the men and Children every where did do as they do in Norwich they might earn twenty five thou∣sand pound per Annum more then they spend; which estimate grounded upon matter of Fact and Experience, agrees with the for∣mer.

Altho as has been proved the people of England do thrive, and that 'tis possible they might Superlucrate twenty five thousand pound per Annum, yet 'tis manifest they do not nor twenty three which is less by two thousand herein meant; for if they did Su∣perlucrate twenty five thousand, then in a∣bout five or six Years time the whole Stock and Personal Estate of the Nation would be double, which I wish were true, but find no manner of Reason to believe; where∣fore

if they can Superlucrate twenty five, but not actually Superlucrate twenty three, nor twenty, nor ten, nor perhaps five, I have then proved what was propounded, viz. that there are spare hands among the Kings Subjects to earn two Millions more then they now do.

But to speak a little more particularly concerning this matter, it is to be noted, that since the fire of London, there was earned in four Years by Tradesmen (re∣lating to building only) the Summ of four Millions, or one Million per Annum with∣out lessening any other sort of Work La∣bour or Manufacture, which was usually done in other four Years before the said occasion; but if the Tradesmen relating to Building only, and such of them as wrought in and about London could do one Milli∣on-worth of Work extraordinary, I think that from thence and from what has been said before, that all the rest of the spare Hands might very well double the same, which is as much as was propounded. Now if there were spare Hands to Superlucrate Millions of Millions, they signifie nothing un∣less there were Imployment for them, & may as well follow their Pleasures and Specu∣lation as Labour to no purpose; therefore the more material point is to prove that

there is two Millionsw-orth of Work to be done, which at the present the Kings Subjects do neglect.

For the proof of this there needs little more to be done than to compute how much money is paid by the King of Eng∣lands Subjects to Forreingers for freight of Shipping.

2. The Hollanders gain by their Fishing-Trade Practised upon our Seas.

3. What the value of all the commo∣dities imported into and sent into Eng∣land, which might by diligence be produ∣ed and Manufactured, here to make short of this matter upon perusal of the most authentick accompts relating to these se∣veral particulars I affirm that the same a∣mounteth to above five Millions whereof I propounded but two Millions.

For a further proof whereof Mr. Samu∣el Fortry in his ingenious discourse of Trade exhibited the particulars, wherein it ap∣pears that the Goods imported out of France only amount yearly to 2600,000. pounds, and I affirm that the Wines, Pa∣per, Cork, Rosin, and Capers, and a few other Commodities which England can't produce, do not amount to one fifth part of the said Summ; from whence it follows that (if Mr. Fortry has not erred) the

two Millions here mentioned may arise from France alone, and consequently five or six Millions from all the three Heads last above specifyed.