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 ...

VERBUM SAPIENTI.

THE INTRODUCTION.

1 VVHEREAS many are forced to pay 1/10 of their whole Estates towards the raising of but 70000l. per Mensem, besides what they pay more insensibly and directly, as Customs, Excise, Chimny-Money, &c. (viz. in London, they pay 2d. per Mensem per Pound Rent, that is 2 s. per Annum, or 1/10 of the whole.) It must come to pass, that the same Per∣sons must from Christmas, 1665. pay ⅓ of their whole Estates, if the War with Hol∣land continue two years longer•• at the value of the last years Expence, provided His Ma∣jesty be kept out of Debt.

2. But if the Publick Charge were laid proportionably, no Man need pay above 1/10 of his whole Effects, even in case the Tax should rise to 250 000 l. per Mensem, which God forbid.

3. That is to say, according to the pre∣sent ways, some pay four times as much more as they ought, or needed; which disproportion is the true and proper Grie∣vance of Taxes, and which must be felt when the Tax happens to be great and ex∣traordinary: Whereas by meer Method and Proportion, the same may be corrected as aforesaid; and withal, just Accounts might be kept of the People, with the re∣spective Increases and Decreases of them, their Wealth, and Foreign Trade.

CHAP. I. Containing several Computations of the Wealth of the Kingdom.

1. THERE are of Men, Women, and Children, in England and Wales, about six Millions, whose Expence at 6 l. 13 s. 4 d. per Annum, or near 4½ d. per Diem, for Food, Housing, Cloaths, and all other necessaries, amount to 40 Millions, per Annum.

2. There are in England and Wales, of Acres of Land (worth 6 l. 1 s. 8 d. per Acre, and 18 years purchase) 24 Millions, that is, which yields 8 Millions per Annum Rent, and which are worth 144 Millions to be sold.

3. There be 28000 Houses within the Liberties of the City of London, worth 15 l. per Annum, and twelve years purchase (viz. which yield 420,000 l. per Annum, and are worth 5,040000 l.

There are without the Liberties, but within the Bills of ••ortality ¼ more in number, perhaps not of greater value, viz. 5,040000 l.

4. There is in all England and VVales near ten times as many Chimneys as with∣in the Liberties of London, as appears by the Returns; Whereof those within the Bills are ⅓ of the whole.

5. 'Tis probable, that the Housing of all the Cities and Market-Towns, are double in number to those of all London, though of no more worth.

6. 'Tis also probable, that the Housing without the Cities and Towns, are more in number than those within (London except∣ed) but of no more value.

7. So as the Housing of England may be estimated worth 30 millions; and that if their values be estimated by Chimneys, those of London are worth 12 d. per Chim∣ney; those in the Suburbs 10 d. other Cities and Market-Towns 6 d. and those without both, about 4 d.

8. The Shipping of England, &c. is a∣bout 500 000 Tuns, which at 6 d. per Tun, including their Ordnance, Apparel, &c. is worth three millions.

9. The Stock of Cattel on the afore∣mentioned 24 millions of Land, and the Waste thereunto belonging, is worth ¼ of the said Land, viz. 36 millions compre∣hending Horses, Oxen, Sheep, Swine, Deer, Fisheries, Parks and Warrens.

10. The Coined Gold and Silver of the Kingdom, is scarce worth six millions

11. The Wares, Merchandizes, and Uten∣sils of Plate, and Furnitures, may be estima∣ted at 31 millions to make the Ships and Money 40. and the whole 250 millions.

12. The most uncertain part of this Esti∣mate, seems to be rating personal Estates at above 30 Millions, which I make probable thus.

• (1) First it is not unlikely that what is con∣tained in all the Shops, Warehouses, Cellars, Barns, and Graineries, together with House∣hold Furniture, Cloaths, Ornaments, &c. should be less worth than Housing it self that contains them.
• (2) If the value of all the Cattel, viz. 36 millions, were added to the 31 personal Estates, making 67 together; both will not make up 1¾ years Provision for the whole Nation, whose Expence we estimated at 40 millions per annum; and poorer than so, we hope it is not.
• ...

• (3.) I find by the particular estimate of the values of all the Plate, Lead, Iron, Copper and Tin, and of all the Timber, Planks, and Woods, and of all Silks, Linnen, and Callicoes; of all Clothes, Stuffs, and Lea∣thers; of all Grains, and Salts, and of all Wines, Oyles, and other Liquids; of all Grocery and Spicery, and Drugs; of Jew∣els, and Hangings, Beds, and other Orna∣ments, (too troublesome to particularize) that this general Account may stand.
• (4.) The City of London being commonly esteemed and rated at the 15th part of the whole, which we reckon at 250 Millions, that is 16 ⅔. I think the sum may be well made up by reckoning 5 ⅙ Millions for the Housing as aforesaid, and 1 ½ for the Shipping (half the Shipping of the Nation belonging to London) and about the double of the va∣lue of the Housing for what is contained in them. The which upon considering many several Houses, I find not unreasonable.
• (Lastly,) supposing that in the Houses within the Liberties of London (worth 5 Millions) there be 10 Millions worth of Goods; I conceive that to allow about as much more, viz. 21 Millions) to all the rest of the Houses in the Kingdom, which are ten times as many as aforesaid, will not overcharge them.

13. Now if the Land worth 144 Mil∣lions, yield 8 Millions per annum, the other Estate converted into the like Species must yield 5 8/9 more; but because Money and other personal Estates yield more per annum than Land; (that is) doubles it self under 17 years purchase at 6 l. per centum, then in∣stead of 5 8/9, suppose it to yield 7, making the whole Annual Proceed 15.

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.

CHAP. III. Of the several Expences of the Kingdom, and its Revenues.

1. THE ordinary Expence of the Kingdom for the Navy, Ord∣nance, Garisons, Land-forces, Tangier, Ia∣maica, Bombay, Ambassadors, Pensions, Intelligence, Kings and Royal Families Ex∣pence, consisting of the Houshold, of the

King, Queen, Duke, &c. Privy-Purse, Wardrobe, Robes, Angel-Gold, Master of the Horse, Mews, Armory, Tents, Parks, Lodges, Goldsmiths, Jewels, &c. hath been computed to be about one Million; Reckoning 200 000 l. for the Navy, 60 for the Ordnance and Powder, 290 for Land∣forces, Garisons, &c. and 450 000 for other things.

2. Towards this, there is in Crown-Lands 70 000, Post-Office 20, Coynage and Pre-emption of Tinn 12, Forest of Deer 4, Courts of Justice 6, First Fruits 18; in all 1,30 000. Customs at 2 per Centum 170. in all 300 000. without the Duties of Wares, Wine-Licence, Aulnage or Butlerage, Excise, Chimney-money, Land-tax, Pole and As∣sesments, being regulated and proportion∣ated as followeth: viz.

CHAP. IV. Of the Method of apportioning Taxes.

1. IF a Million is to be raised above the 300 000 l. last mentioned, then 375000l. is to be levied on the Stock, and 625000l. on the People.

Of the 375,000.	on the Stock,
216	on the Lands,
54	on the Cattel, &c.
60	on the Personal Estates,
45	on the Housing.
in all 375

2. To raise 216,000l. out of 8,000,000 M. Rent, requires 1/37 of the Rent, and 1/27 of 1/37; but allowing the charge of Collecting, we may express it to a 1/3•• part.

3. To raise 5 1000 l. per annum, out of 36,000000 M. requires the annual pay∣ment of a 666^th part of the whole value; but in regard of Charges, let it be reduced to a 600^th part.

4. The like for the 60000l. of Personal Estates.

5. To raise 45000 l. per annum, from all the Housing worth 30 Millions, or 7500 for the Housing in London-Liberties, worth about 5 Millions, and whose Rent is 4,20 000l. per annum, requires but 1/33 of the annual Rent, which cannot be above 12 d. a Chim∣ney per Annum, reckoning 5 to each House. Without the Liberties, about 10 d. the Chimney will effect the same; 6 d. in the Cities and Market-Towns, and 4 d. else∣where.

6. As for the 625,000l. to be raised by the People, it requires but 2 s. 1 d. per Pole per Annum, which let rather be divided in∣to a Pole of 6 d. a Head, and an Excise of 19 d. which is not the full 1/84 part of the mean expence, 6 l. 13 s. 4 d. so as the 11/84 of the value of Consumptions, will with the said 6 d▪ Pole, raise 625,000 l. per Annum.

CHAP. V. Of Money; and how much is necessary to drive the Trade of the Nation.

1. IT may be asked, If there were occasion to raise 4 Millions per Annum, whether the same 6 Millions (which we hope we have) would suffice for such revolutions and circulations thereof as Trade requires? I answer yes; for the Expence being 40 Mil∣lions, if the revolutions were in such short Circles, viz. weekly, as happens among poor Artizans and Labourers, who receive and pay every Saturday, then 40/52 parts of 1 Million of Money would answer those ends: But if the Circles be quarterly, ac∣cording to our Custom of paying rent, and gathering Taxes, then 10 Millions were re∣quisite. Wherefore supposing payments in general to be of a mixt Circle between One

week and 13. then add 10 Millions to 40/52, the half of the which will be 5 1⅓, so as if we have 5 ½ Millions, we have enough.

2. And thus I have shewed, That if one half of the Subjects of England (playing 78 days in the year) will earn 7 d. per diem all the rest of the days one with another; And if they would work 1/20 more, and spend 1/20 less, they might enable their King to main∣tain double the Forces he now doth, with∣out suffering in the general more than many well affected persons do now through neg∣ligence, or mistakes in their Particulars. Nor is Money wanting to answer all the Ends of a well Policed State, notwithstand∣ing the great decreases thereof, which have happened within these Twenty Years.

Nor were it hard to substitute in the place of Money (were a competency of it wanting) what should be equivalent unto it. For Money is but the Fat of the Body-Politick, whereof too much doth as often hinder its Agility, as too little makes it sick. 'Tis true, that as Fat lubricates the motion of the Muscles, feeds in want of Victuals, fills up uneven Cavities, and beautifies the Body; so doth Money in the State quicken its Action, feeds from abroad in time of Dearth at home; evens accounts by reason

of it's divisibility, and beautifies the whole, altho more especially the particular persons that have it in plenty.

CHAP. VI. The Causes of irregular Taxing.

1. THE Causes of Error in this great Affair of Publick Levies, have been these. First, Laying too great a stress on the matter of Money, which is to the whole effect of the Kingdom but as 6 to 667. That is, not one to 100. Secondly, Laying the whole Burthen on the past Effects, and neglecting the present Efficien∣cies, exceeding the former as 417 doth 250. Thirdly, Reckoning all the personal E∣states of the City of London (Shipping included) at scarce ½ the value of the very Housing, whereas they are double: Which happens because the Housing of London belongs to the Church, Companies, or Gen∣tlemen, and are taxed by the Citizens their Tenants. Fourthly, A fallacious tenderness towards the poor, (who now pay scarce 1 s. per head per ann. towards all manner of charges) interwoven with the cruelty of not

providing them Work, and indulging Lazi∣ness in them, because of our own indisposi∣tion to employ them; so some are over∣charged through evil Custom, and others left to sordid Want, and bruitish Irregulari∣ty. Fifthly, An Opinion, that certainty of Rules is impossible, and but an idle Noti∣on; and then having made such as are not so, and training them to be applied by Af∣fection and Humour; so as ¼ of the whole paying needlesly four times too much, may be thereby so netled, as to do more mischief than the other unconcerned, and thankless ¾ can allay.

CHAP. VII. The Collateral Advantages of these Taxes.

1. BEsides the equality of Taxes, we make this further use of trying it by way of Customs, Poles, Excises, Chim∣ney-money, Land-tax, and Assesments upon the personal Estates, viz.

• (1.) Of the Customs, which we reduce from 1/40 to 1/50, to keep an account of Foreign▪

• Trade, and of its Balance; for by Levying, a Duty, and encreasing the Penalty, these Ac∣counts will be less obscured.
• (2.) The simple and universal Pole keeps an account of the great Wealth and Strength of the Kingdom, the People.
• (3.) Rating the Houses per Chimney, gives a good account of Improvements and Dilapidations.
• (4.) Excize gives an account of Domestick Expences, and publisheth Exorbitances.
• (5.) Land-taxes keep the Payments to the proportion of entire value, not of Annual Rent: So as an Estate in Housing pays no more than if it were in Lands, nor conside∣rable less than Goods, and may bring Mort∣gages to their just contribution; many Len∣ders not being so formidable for their Money, as some have thought them.
• (6.) Assessments upon personal Estates (if given in as elsewhere upon Oath) would bring that Branch which of it self is most dark, to a sufficient clearness.

2. There is also a Pole upon Titles and Dignities worth consideration, tho we now omit it; which as it may check mens forwardness to undeserved Pre-eminence, so it may be employed in the encouragement of true worth.

3. We have hitherto computed the old immutable Revenue at but 130,000 l. per an∣num, nor supposed above 170,000 l. (viz. less than ½ what it is at present) to be raised by Customs (wholly neglecting Wards, Butlerage, Aulnage, and other obsolete Im∣posts.) We have also designed the several Proportions towards the raising of a Million more per Ann. to be raised by the Pole, Ex∣cise, Land-Tax, Assessments and Chimneys.

CHAP. VIII. Of the Expence of the Navy, Army, and Ga∣risons.

WE come next to shew, That if 3 Mil∣lions per ann. or 250,000 l. per men∣sem (to make up the whole 3,300,000l. per ann.) were raised, what might be performed thereby for the safety, establishment, and Honour both of the King and Subject.

Unto which, I say, considering the pre∣sent condition of the Navy, two Millions will maintain 50,000 men, in Ships of War for eight Months of the Year, and 30000 for the other four Months: Which I take to be near double the best Fleet we ever have

seen in Europe, computing the Ordnance, and Harbor-Charges of the Navy: Nor will the Maintenance of 12,000 Foot, and 3000, Horse, allowing 100,000 l. for Inland Gari∣sons, and 60,000 l. for Tangier, &c. put all to∣gether, exceed 600,000 l. so as there remains 700,000 l. for other Matters, whereof His Majesty's Royal Family, by all the Ac∣counts I have seen, doth not spend 500,000l. per ann. Nor need the Charge of all those Levies be above 1 of the 33, (viz. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 part for the 500 Officers, without ever going five Miles from the Centre of their abode) who might perform this Work; nor would more than 200 l. per an. for each of them, and their under Instruments be necessary for their re∣spective Sallaries: For there are 450 Areots of 10 Miles square in England and Wales.

CHAP. IX. Motives to the quiet bearing of extraordinary TAXES.

HAving shewed how great and glorious things may be done with no less diffi∣culty than what ¼ of the King's Subjects do already endure; I offer these further Rea∣sons

to quiet mens Minds, in case this utmost 250,000 l. per mensem should be ever de∣manded upon this Holland-War.

1. That of all Naval Expence, not 1/20 is ••or Forreign Commodities, nor need it be ••f, if the people would do their part, and the Governours direct them the nearest ways.

2. That stoppage of Trade is considera∣ble, but as one to eight; for we exchange not above five Millions worth per ann. for our 40.

3. That the Expence of the King, &c. being about 400,000 l. per ann. is but 1/100 part of the Expence of the Nation, who all have the Pleasure and Honour of it.

4. That the Money of the Nation being but about 5 Millions and ½, and the earning of the same 25; It is not difficult for them to encrease their Money a Million per ann. by an easie advance of their Industry, apply∣ed to such Manufactures as will fetch Mo∣ney from abroad.

5. The Wealth of England lies in Land and People, so as they make five parts of six of the whole: But the Wealth of Holland lies more in Money, Housing, Shipping and Wares. Now supposing England three∣times

as rich as Holland in Land, and People (as it is) and Holland twice as rich as we in other Particulars (as it scarce is); We are still upon the Balance of the whole near twice as rich as they: Of which I wish those that understand Holland, would consi∣der and calculate.

6. There are in England above four Acres of Arrable, Meadow and Pasture-Land, for every Soul in it; and those so fertile, as that the labour of one man in tilling them, is suf∣ficient to get a bare Livelihood for above 10: So as 'tis for want of Discipline that any Poverty appears in England, and that any are hanged or starved upon that ac∣count.

CHAP. X. How to employ the People, and the End thereof.

WE said, That half the People by a very gentle labour, might much enrich the Kingdom, and advance its Honour, by setting apart largely for publick uses; But the difficulty is, upon what shall they employ themselves.

To which I answer in general, Upon pro∣ducing Food and Necessaries for the whole People of the Land, by few hands; whether by labouring harder, or by the introducing the Compendium, and Facilitations of Art, which is equivalent to what men vain∣ly hoped from Polygamy. For as much as he that can do the Work of five men by one, effects the same as the begetting four adult Workmen. Nor is such advan∣tage worth fewer years purchase than that of Lands, or what we esteem likest to perpetual. Now the making Necessaries cheap, by the means aforesaid, and not by raising more of them than can be spent

whilst they are good, will necessitate others to buy them with much labour of other kinds. For if one man could raise Corn e∣nough for the whole, better than any one man; then that man would have the natu∣ral Monopoly of Corn, and could exact more labour for it in exchange, than if ten others raised ten times as much Corn as is necessary; which would make other labour so much the dearer, as men were less under the need of engaging upon it.

2. By this way we might recover our lost Cloth-trade, which by the same the Dutch got from us. By this way the East∣Indians furnish us from the other end of the world with Linnen cheaper than our selves can make them, with what grows at our own Doors. By this means we might fetch Flax from France, and yet furnish them with Linnen (that is) if we make no more than we can vend, but so much with the fewest hands, and cheapest food, which will be when Food also is raised, by fewer hands than elsewhere.

3. I answer generally we should em∣ploy our selves by raising such Commodi∣ties, as would yield and fetch in money from abroad: For that would supply any wants of ours from the same, or any other place at all times. Which Stores of Dome∣stick

Commodities could not effect, whose value is to call a Temporary (i. e.) which are of value but pro hic & nunc.

4. But when should we rest from this great Industry? I answer, When we have certainly more Money than any of our Neighbour States, (though never so little) both in Arithmetrical and Geometrical pro∣portion (i. e.) when we have more years provision aforehand, and more present effects.

5. What then should we busie our selves about? I answer, in Ratiocinations upon the Works and Will of God, to be supported not only by the indolency, but also by the pleasure of the Body; and not only by the tranquility, but serenity of the mind; and this Exercise is the natural end of man in this world, and that which best disposeth him for his Spiritual happiness in that other which is to come. The motions of the mind being the quickest of all others, afford most variety, wherein is the very form and being of pleasure; and by how much the more we have of this pleasure, by so much the more we are capable of it even ad Infini∣tum.

FINIS.