The Political Anatomy of Ireland (1899)/Chapter IV

by William Petty

 

 

[CHAPTER IV.]

Concerning the Late Rebellion.

 

THE number of the People being now Anno 1672 about 1100,000. and Anno 1652. about 850 M. because I^[1] conceive that 80 M. of them have in 20 years encreased by Generation 70 M. by return of banished and expelled English; as also by the access of new ones, 80 M. of New Scots, and 20 M. of returned Irish, being all 250 M.

Now if it could be known what number^[2] of people were in Ireland, Ann. 1641. then the difference between the said number, and 850, adding unto it the encrease by Generation, in 11 years will shew the destruction of people made by the Wars, viz. by the Sword, Plague, and Famine occasioned thereby.

I find, by comparing superfluous and spare Oxen, Sheep, Butter and Beef, that |18| there was exported above ⅓ more Ann. 1664. than in 1641. which shews there were ⅓ more of people, viz. 1466,000; Out of which Sum take what were left Ann. 1652. there will remain 616,000. destroyed by the Rebellion.

Whereas the present proportion of the British is as 3 to 11; But before the Wars the proportion was less, viz. as 2 to 11. and then it follows that the number of British slain in 11 years was 112 thousand Souls; of which I guess ⅔ to have perished by War, Plague and Famine^[3]. So as it follows that 37,000 were massacred in the first year of Tumults: So as those who think 154,000 were so destroyed, ought to review the grounds of their Opinion^[4].

It follows also, that about 504 M. of the Irish perished, and were wasted by the Sword, Plague, Famine, Hardship and Banishment, between the 23 of October 1641. and the same day 1652.

Wherefore those who say. That not ⅛ of them remained at the end of the Wars, must also review their opinions; there being by this Computation near ⅔ of them; which Opinion I also submit. |19|

There were transported of them into Spain, Flanders, France, 34,000 Soldiers; and of Boys, Women, Priests, &c. no less than 6000 more, where not half are returned.	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	40,000.
If Ireland had continued in peace for the said 11 years, then the 1466 M. had increased by Generation in that time to 73 M. more, making in all 1539, which were by the said Wars brought Anno 1652, to 850, viz. 689 M. for whose Blood some body should answer both to God and the King.	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	M. 689
Anno 1650. there were before the great Plague, above one Million of People, viz. 2½ more than in London Anno 1665. But in that there year died in London by account 97,000 people, but really were 110 M.
Wherefore, if the Plague was no hotter in Ireland than in England, there must have died in Ireland 275 M. But 1300 dying in a Week in Dublin, the Plague of London was but ⅔ as hot; Wherefore there died in Ireland	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	M. 450[5]|20|
So as subtracting 412 M. 500 dying of the Plague, and 37 Massacred English, it follows that 167 M. died in 11 years by the Sword and Famine, and other Hardships. Which I think not incredible; for supposing ½ the Number, viz. 87 M. died in 11 years, of Famine and Cold, Transportation to Spain and Barbadoes, &c. it is not hard to believe, that the other 87 M. perished by the Sword, when the British had Armies of near 40 M. Men, and the Irish of near double, sometimes[6] on Foot.
Ann. 1653. Debentures were freely and openly sold for 4 s. and 5 s. per l. And 20 s. of Debenture, one place with another, did purchase two Acres of Land; at which rate all the Land of Ireland, if it were 8 Millions of profitable Acres, might have been had for a Million of Money, which Ann. 1641. was worth above 8 Millions	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	M. 1.|21|
The Cattel and Stock which Ann. 1641. was worth above 4 Millions, reckoning one Beef of 20s. value, or the Equivalent in other Stock to two Acres; but Ann. 1652. the people of Dublin fetch'd Meat from Wales, there being none here, and the whole Cattel of Ireland not worth	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	l. 500,000
Corn was then at 50s. per Barrel, which is now, and 1641. under 12.
The Houses of Ireland, Ann. 1641. was worth 2½ Millions; but Ann. 1652. not worth 1⁄5 of the same	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	l. 500,000
The value of people, Men, Women and Children in England, some have computed to be 70l. per Head, one with another. But if you value the people who have been destroyed in Ireland, as Slaves and Negroes are usually rated, viz. at about 15l. one with another; Men being sold for 25l. and Children 5l. each; the value of the people lost will be about	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	[7]10,355,000 |22|
The Forces kept on Foot by all Parties for the said 11 years, were at least 80,000 Horse and Foot (for even Ann. 1652. the English were 35,000 and 34,000 Irish transported) the Charge whereof, Train of Artillery, and General Officers included, cannot be less than 15l. per Head per Ann. which for 11 years comes to 13 Millions and 200 M. l.	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	13,200,000
The superlucration above expressed, of all which adult Men (among which were no Women nor Children) cannot be reckoned at less than 5l. per Head, or ⅓ of the last mentioned Sum, viz,	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	M. 4.400.000
Wherefore the effects of the Rebellion were these in pecuniary value, viz.
By loss of people		10,335,000
By loss of their superlucration of Soldiers	4,400,000
By the superlucration of the people lost, at 10l. per Head for the whole 11 years, deducting 80 M. Soldiers	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	6,000,000
By impairing of the worth of Lands	11,000,000	|23|
Of the Stock	3.500,000
Of the Housing	2,000,000
37,255,000

And the 20 years Rent of all the Lands forfeited, by reason of the said Rebellion, viz. since the year 1652, to 1673. hath not fully defray'd the Charge of the English Army in Ireland for the said time; nor doth the said Rents at this day do the same with ½ as much more, or above 100 M. l. per An. more.

And the Adventurers after 10 years being out of their Principal Money, which now ought to be double by its Interest, they sold their Adventures for under 10 s. per l. Ann. 1652. in open and free Market.

The Number of Landed Irish-Papists, or Freeholders before the Wars, was about 3000; whereof, as appears by 800 Judgments of the Court of Claims, which fate Ann. 1663. upon the Innocence and Effects of the Irish, there were not above ¹⁄₇ part or 400 guilty of the Rebellion, unto each of whom I allow 20 Followers, which would have made up an Army of 8000: But by the 49 Officers account, the British Army before 1649. must have been about 40 M. men; upon whom the said 8000 Nocent Irish so |24| prevail'd, as that the Peace ended in the Articles of 1648. By which the Irish were made at least equal Partners with His Majesty in the Government of Ireland; which sheweth, that the Irish were men of admirable Success and Courage: Unless we should rather think, that the said Court of Claims were abused by their Perjuries and Forgeries, which one would think, that a Nation, who caus'd the destruction of so many thousand Lives, for the sake of God and Religion, should not be so guilty of.

The Estates of the Irish before the Wars, was double to that of the English; but the number and natural force of the Irish quintuple to that of the English.

The Cause of the War was a desire of the Romists, to recover the Church-Revenue, worth about 110 M.l. per Ann. and of the Common Irish, to get all the Englishmens Estates; and of the 10 or 12 Grandees of Ireland, to get the Empire of the whole. But upon the playing of this Game or Match upon so great odds, the English won and have (among, and besides other Pretences) a Gamester's Right at least to their Estates. But as for the Bloodshed in the Contest, God best knows who did occasion it. |25|

1. Another punctuation may be suggested, viz. 'I conceive that 80 M. of them have in 20 years encreased by Generation, 70 M. by return of banished and expelled English as also by the access of new ones, 80 M. of New Scots, and 20 M. of returned Irish, being [in] all 250 M.'
2. Cox, 'If in anno 52 there were 850000 inhabitants, 130000 were Eng 20000 Scots & 700000 Ir: & in anno 72: 1100000 of all sorts y^e Ir have encreasd 60000: y^e Eng 100000 and y^e Scots 80000: it will follow by y^e same rule of proportion viz y^t they encrease a 25^th every x year by generation y^t in ann 1687 they are as followeth.

   Ir	800000 encreased 60000 are now 860000
   Eng	200000 encreased 15000 are now 215000
   Scotts	100000 encreased 07500 are now 107500

   But if to this be added y^t in these 15 years years (sic) last past, at least 35000 Eng. have come from Engld and the plantations to settle in Ir, & y^t 42500 Scotts have come in y^e same time, & y^t at least 60000 Ir have in y^t time gone to Clergy War Service Travail &c. then at this day there will be found in Ireland—Ir 800000 Eng 250000 Scotts 150000 and soe y^e Ir are but just double y^e Number of y^e brittish.' Cox arrives at the distribution of population in 1652 by assuming that the 80000 increase by generation is confined to the Irish. Petty returns to his calculation in the Dialogue appended to the Treatise of Ireland.

3. In the margin of S, ' 1100
   366
   1466
   850
   616
   112
   504	.'

4. Cox, ' If y^e Ir in 1641 were to y^e Eng as 11 to 2. & in all 1466000: then the Ir were 1199450 and y^e Eng were 266550: and since it is notorious y^t 100000 Eng did not survive y^e first year of y^e wars, I cannot find any error in their Calculaċion y^t say 166550 Brittish were massacred y^t yeare, and I am sure if there be any difficulty in proving y^t Assertion, it will be in y^t part of it y^t says there were 266550 Brittish in Ir in 1641.
   'Besides his way of Computation is this: In 1641 there were 266550 Brittish in 1652 there were left above 150000 ergo there were destroyed but 112000 to which I answer y^t besides the Brittish in Ireland there came above 150000 Eng & Scotts into Ireland before y^e year (52) which being added to his 112000 doe manifest that there were in all 262000 Brittish pished in y^e late war whereof 150000 being massacred in y^e first year there will remain our Authors 112000 for y^e rest of y^e rebellion:
   'Moreover his Computaċion supposes y^t y^e 150000 brittish liveing in 1652 were part of those liveing in 1641; whereas revera ¾ of y^e Brittish in 1652 were the Army and others y^t had newly come out of Eng & Scottland & their children y^e very army as this gent says besides wives and children being 35000.'
5. In the margin of S,

   '220
   55
   275
   1375
   4125	.'

   'M

   ---

   450'

    
   appears to be a slip of the pen for '412 M. 500,' which is given in the first line of the next paragraph.
6. S, 'double the number sometimes.'

7. In the margin of S, '689,000
   3,445,000
   10,335,000	'