The political anatomy of Ireland with the establishment for that kingdom when the late Duke of Ormond was Lord Lieutenant ... : to which is added Verbum sapienti, or, An account of the wealth and expences of England, and the method of raising taxes in the most equal manner ... / by Sir William Petty ...

CHAP. II. Of the Value of the PEOPLE.

NOW if the Annual proceed of the Stock, or Wealth of the Nation, yields but 15 millions, and the expence be 40. Then the labour of the People must furnish the other 25; which may be done, if but half of them, viz. 3 millions earned but 8 l. 6 s. 8 d. per annum, which is done at 7 d. per diem, abating the 52 Sundays, and half as many other days for accidents as Holy days, sickness, recreations, &c.

2. If ⅙ of these 3 millions earned but 2 d. per diem; another ⅙ 4 d. another ⅙ 8 d. per diem, another 10 d. and another 12 d. The medium will be this, 7 d. per diem.

3. Whereas the Stock of the Kingdom, yielding but 15 Millions of proceed, is worth 250 Millions; then the People who yield 25, are worth 416 ⅔ Millions. For al∣though the Individiums of Mankind be reckoned at about 8 years purchase; the Species of them is worth as many as Land, being in its nature as perpetual, for ought we know.

4. If 6 Millions of People be worth 417 millions of pounds Sterling, then each head is worth 69 l. or each of the 3 millions of Workers is worth 138 l. which is 7 years purchase, at about 12 d. per diem; nor is superlucration above his subsistence to be reckoned in this Case.

5. From whence it follows, that 100,000, persons dying of the Plague, above the or∣dinary number, is near 7 Millions loss to the Kingdom; and consequently how well might 70,000l. have been bestowed in pre∣venting this Centuple loss?

6. We said, that the late mortality by the Pest, is a great loss to the Kingdom; whereas some think it but a seasonable dis∣charge of its Pestilent humours: to clear which difficulty, I say,

7. If the Plague discerned well, between the well and the ill-affected to Peace and Obe∣dience,

or between the Bees and the Drones, the Fact would determine the Question: But if it destroy promiscuously, the Loss is pro∣portionable to the Benefit we have by them that survive; for 'tis they that make Eng∣land worth above 600 millions, as aforesaid: It being certain, That if one person only had escaped: the whole Territory, and all that is in it, had been worth but a liveli∣hood for that one; and he subject to be a prey to the next two that should invade him.

8. It seems reasonable, that what we call the Wealth, Stock, or Provision of the Nation, being the effect of the former or past labour, should not be conceived to dif∣fer from efficiencies in being, but should be rated alike, and contribute alike to the com∣mon necessities: And then of all and every summ to be raised, the Land and Stock must pay 3 parts; and the People consider∣ed without any Estate at all, 5 more; the whole into 8 divided.

9. If the expence of the Nation be 40 Millions; it seems but the same hard∣ship to set apart 4. viz. 1/10 of the whole for the publick use, as what now lies upon many already: But 4 Millions would af∣ford one for the ordinary Expence, and

three for the extraordinary Wars, that is 250 000 l. per mensem; that is 3 ½ as much as 70. For the raising whereof, many now pay above a 1/10 of their whole Estates, for want of Method and Proportion.

10. Labouring men work 10 hours per diem, and make 20 meals per week, viz. 3 a day for working-days, and two on Sundays; whereby it is plain, that if they could fast on Fryday nights, and Dine in one hour and an half, whereas they take two, from eleven to one; thereby this working 1/20 more, and spending 1/20 less, the 1/10 abovementioned might be raised, at least with more ease, than to take up Arms, and resist it.