upon Beer and Ale, with that of Ale and Wine Licences is sunk about 1⁄12 Part[1].
So as the Six Diminutions (some whereof are more or less reparable) do amount in all to Ten Millions and 927000l.[2] the Interest whereof at Ten per Cent, is a Million 92000l. Now as the said Interest is in Proportion to the whole Expence of the Nation (which I take to be Six Millions and ½ for 1300 Thousand heads at 5l. each) so the said Expence must hereafter shrink, vizt from 7 to 6, and so must such Part of the King's Revenue also as dependeth thereon.
Since the Making of these Tables, it has been certify'd from Dublin, That the Customs of that Port were in Midsummer Quarter A° 1686, 13378l., and the same Quarter of the Year 1687 They fell to 10259l., and that the Excise upon Beer and Ale fell in the same Quarter in that City 947l., or one Sixth Part of the Whole: Altho' the Prisage of Wines encreased from 204 to 278, in the same Time.
It has been also written that, in the West of Ireland, the Yearly Rent of Lands have fallen from 5 to 3, and that within the last 2 Years the Excise of Beer and Ale in and about the same Lands, has fallen from 29l. 10s. to 7l. 2s. All which does too well Justify the Conjectures, which have been here made concerning the Decays of Ireland, as may better appear by the small Table here inserted, with the Births and Burials.
| Dublin Midsummer Quarter | ||||
| Anno | Customs | Excise | Burials | Baptisms |
| 1686 | 13377 | 5741 | 503 | 219 |
| 1687 | 10259 | 4794 | 639 | 310 |
- ↑ End of the observations upon the tables.
- ↑ Petty's six diminutions (p. 583) are:
The total 10,927,000 may have been reached by taking the present value of the cattle (3 millions) instead of the diminution of their value.Lands 7,000,000 Houses 200,000 Cattle 2,000,000 Money 160,000 Beer & 400,000 Goods, etc. 167,000 9,927,000.
