however, no early weekly bills upon which the causes of death were printed[1]. The next additional matter introduced into the bills was a distinction of the burials and christenings according to sex. This distinction, introduced for the returns from London and its liberties, in 1629[2] was extended, in 1660, to Westminster and the out-parishes[3]. Important features not appearing in the bills before 1686 are the number of marriages, the omission of which Graunt notes[4], and the age at death, which he makes an attempt to supply by an estimate[5]. Both of these details Petty desired to see introduced into the Dublin bills[6], and they were actually included in the London bills of a later date.
The general trustworthiness of the bills, and consequently the validity of all conclusions based upon them, is conditioned by the accuracy and the completeness with which the Parish Clerks knew the facts that they professed to report. It is therefore important to enquire how they obtained their knowledge of the number of christenings, marriages, and burials and of the causes of death within their respective parishes. The earliest indication of the method pursued is found in the plague orders of the Lord Mayor, issued in 1581. He directed the aldermen:
- ↑ Much interest appears to have been taken in the form of bills by Lord Mayor Chamberlain (1607) and his successors, and several changes were made, particulars of which cannot now be recovered. Christie, 138—140; cf. note, p. 336, post. So considerable were the disagreements, especially with some of the out-parishes, that in 1611 the Company of Parish Clerks were reincorporated and their powers more precisely defined. State Papers, Dom., James I. Vol. xlvii. Docquet, 31 December, 1611.
- ↑ Graunt, p. 342.
- ↑ Bell (unpaged).
- ↑ P. 347.
- ↑ Pp. 386—387.
- ↑ Pp. 488—489.
deaths of smallpox in May and June, 1628. [Birch's] Court and Times of Charles I. Vol. i. p. 359, cited by Creighton, ii. 435.
