years old, I intend to attend the improvement of my lands in Ireland, and to get in the many debts owing unto me, and to promote the trade of iron, lead, marble, fish and timber whereof my estate is capable: and as for studies and experiments, I think now to confine the same to the anatomy of the people and political arithmetic, as also to the improvement of ships, land carriages, guns and pumps, as of most use to mankind, not blaming the studies of other men. As for religion, I die in the profession of that faith, and in the practice of such worship as I find established by the law of my country....."
Aubrey's Biography of Petty.
The following life of Petty is printed in "Letters of Eminent Persons," by J. Aubrey, London, 1813, volume II., pages 481–491:
Sir William Petty was the son of Petty,5 of Rumsey, in Hampshire, by , his wife. His father was born on the Ash Wednesday before Mr. Hobbes, sc. 1587. He was by profession a clothier, and also did dye his own clothes. He died and was buried at Rumsey 1644, where Sir William intends to set up a monument for him. He (Sir William) was born at his father's house, aforesaid, on Monday, the twenty-sixth of May, 1623, eleven hours 42′ 56″ afternoon. Christened Trinity Sunday.6
Rumsey is a little haven town, and hath most kinds of artificers in it. When he was a boy his greatest delight was to be looking on the artificers, smyths, watchmakers, carpenters, joiners, and at twelve years old he could have worked at any of these trades. Here he went to school, and learned by twelve years a competent smattering of Latin, and was entered
