Page:William Petty - Economic Writings (1899) vol 1.djvu/314

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
216
The Political Anatomy

Holidays appointed by the Law) do one place with another, observe about 24 days more in the year, in which they do no Corporal Labour, so as they have but about 266 Working-days; whereas Protestants not strictly observing all the Legal Holy-days, by a total forbearing of Labour, have in effect 300 Working-days in the year, that is, 34 days more than the Papists, or at least five of six days in each, or 110 part of the whole year.

13. The expence of the whole people of Ireland is about four Millions per Ann. |119| the 150 part whereof being 80,000l. and the Quarter of Annual House-Rent[1] being about 60,000l. together with 450,000l. more, being the value of half a years Rent, Tythes and Quit-Rent, do make 590,000l. as that sum of Money which will compleatly and plentifully drive the Trade of this Kingdom.

14. The value of the Commodities exported out of Ireland, and the Fraight of the Shipping imployed in the Trade of this[2] Nation, together with the fishing of Herrings, is about Five Hundred Thousand pounds per Annum.

15. The value of the Estates in Ireland of such persons as do usually live in England; the Interest of Debts of Ireland, due and payable to England; the pay of the Forces[3] of Ireland, now in England; the Expence and Pensions of Agents and Sollicitors commonly residing in England about Irish Affairs; the Expence of English and Irish Youth now upon their Education beyond the Seas; and lastly, the supposed Profit of the two great Farms now on Foot[4], do altogether make up near 200,000l. per Ann, as a Debt payable to England out of Ireland.

16. The value of the Cattel, viz. live Oxen and Sheep, carried out of Ireland into |120| England, was never more than 140,000l. per Annum; the Fraight, Hides, Tallow, and Wooll of the said live Cattel, were worth about 60,000l. of the said

  1. H, 'House-Rents.'
  2. H, 'the.'
  3. H, Petty substituted 'Forces' for a word which he blotted, perhaps 'scores.'
  4. Probably an allusion to the farm of the Irish revenues which expired Christmas, 1675, and to the new farm concluded in December of that year. See Essex to the Lords Justices, 4 December, 1675, in the Capel Letters, 418.