Page:William Petty - Economic Writings (1899) vol 1.djvu/389

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Subjects of France and of England.
291

another, hath above Five Hundred; by which reckoning the whole People of France[1], are about Thirteen Millions and a half; Now the People of England, Scotland, and Ireland, with the Islands adjoyning, by computation from the numbers of Parishes; which commonly have more People in Protestant Churches, than in Popish Countries; as also from the Hearth-money, Pole-money[2], and Excise, do amount to about Nine Millions and ½[3].

There are in New-England, about 16000[4] Men mustered in Arms; about 24000[5] able to bear Arms; and consequently about 150000[6] in all: And I see no reason why in all this and the other Plantations of Asia, Africa, and America, there should not be half a Million[7] in all. But this last I leave to every Mans conjecture; and consequently, I suppose, that the King of England hath about Ten Millions of Subjects, ubivis Terrarum Orbis; and the King of France about Thirteen and a ½ as aforesaid.

Although it be very material to know the number of The King of France hath in effect but 13 Millions of Subjects and the K. of England 10 Millions, and the King of France hath 27000 Churchmen and the King of England 20000, the K. of England hath 40000 Sea-men, and the K. of France 10000. Subjects belonging to each |[76]| Prince, yet when the Question is concerning their Wealth and Strength; It is also material to examin, how many of them do get more than they spend, and how many less.

In order whereunto it is to be considered, that in the King of Englands Dominions, there are not[8] twenty Thousand Church-men; But in France, as the aforementioned Author of theirs doth aver, (who sets down the particular number of each Religious Order) there are about Two Hundred and Seventy thousand, viz. Two Hundred and Fifty thousand
  1. The present State of France, p. 455 seq., contains a list of the Généralties, with the number of parishes in each of them except Amiens and Nantes. The sum of the parishes accounted for is 24,580.
  2. G, 'Post-money.'
  3. S, R, '9 millions,' altered to '9½ millions' in S.
  4. S, R, G, '50000,' altered to '16000' in S.
  5. S, R, G, '80000,' altered to '24000' in S.
  6. S, R, G, 'halfe a million' altered to '150000' in S.
  7. S, R, 'in all the rest of the Plantations there should not be halfe a million more,' altered in S to 'in this and all the other Plantations of Asia, Affrica & America there should not be half a million' ('more' stricken out).
  8. G omits 'not.'