treatise on taxes and contributions-第1章

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stoms；　Poll…Money；　Lotteries；　Benevolence；　Penalties；　Monopolies；　Offices；　Tythes；　Raising　of　Coins；　Harth…Money；　Excize；　etc。　With　several　intersperst　Discourses　and　Digressions　concerning　Warres；　The　Church；　Universities；　Rents　&　Purchases；　Usury　&　Exchange；　Banks　&　Lombards；　Registries　for　Conveyances；　Beggars；　Ensurance；　Exportation　of　Money　&　Wool；　Free…ports；　Coins；　Housing；　Liberty　of　Conscience；　etc。

The　Same　being　frequently　applied　to　the　present　State　and　Affairs　of　Ireland。

London；　Printed　for　N。　Brooke；　at　the　Angel　in　Cornhill；　1662。

by　William　Petty

1662

The　Preface

　　　　Young　and　vain　persons；　though　perhaps　they　marry　not　primarily　and　onely　on　purpose　to　get　Children；　much　less　to　get　such　as　may　be　fit　for　some　one　particular　vocation；　yet　having　Children；　they　dispose　of　them　as　well　as　they　can　according　to　their　respective　inclinations：　Even　so；　although　I　wrote　these　sheets　but　to　rid　my　head　of　so　many　troublesome　conceits；　and　not　to　apply　them　to　the　use　of　any　one　particular　People　or　Concernment；　yet　now　they　are　born；　and　that　their　Birth　happened　to　be　about　the　time　of　the　Duke　of　Ormond's　going　Lord　Lieutenant　into　Ireland；　I　thought　they　might　be　as　proper　for　the　consideration　of　that　place；　as　of　any　other；　though　perhaps　of　effect　little　enough　in　any。　　　　　Ireland　is　a　place　which　must　have　so　great　an　Army　kept　up　in　it；　as　may　make　the　Irish　desist　from　doing　themselves　or　the　English　harm　by　their　future　Rebellions。　And　this　great　Army　must　occasion　great　and　heavy　Leavies　upon　a　poor　people　and　wasted　Countrey；　it　it　therefore　not　amiss　that　Ireland　should　understand　the　nature　and　measure　of　Taxes　and　Contributions。　　　　　2。　The　Parishes　of　Ireland　do　much　want　Regulation；　by　uniting　and　dividing　them；　so　as　to　make　them　fit　Enclosures　wherein　to　plant　the　Gospel：　wherefore　what　I　have　said　as　to　the　danger　of　supernumerary　Ministers；　may　also　be　seasonable　there；　when　the　new　Geography　we　expect　of　that　Island　shall　have　afforded　means　for　the　Regulation　abovementioned。　　　　　3。　The　great　plenty　of　Ireland　will　but　undo　it；　unless　a　way　be　found　for　advantageous　Exportations；　the　which　will　depend　upon　the　due　measure　of　Custom　and　Excize　here　treated　on。　　　　　4。　Since　Ireland　is　under…peopled　in　the　whole；　and　since　the　Government　there　can　never　be　safe　without　chargeable　Armies；　until　the　major　part　of　the　Inhabitants　be　English；　whether　by　carrying　over　these；　or　withdrawing　the　other；　I　think　there　can　be　no　better　encouragement　to　draw　English；　thither；　then　to　let　them　know；　that　the　Kings　Revenue　being　above　1/10　part　of　the　whole　Wealth；　Rent；　and　Proceed　of　the　Nation；　and　the　Publick　Charge　in　the　next　Age　will　be　no　more　felt　there　than　that　of　Tythes　is　here；　and　that　as　the　Kings　Revenue　encreases；　so　the　causes　of　his　Expence　will　decrease　proportionably；　which　is　a　double　advantage。　　　　　6。　The　employing　the　Beggars　in　England　about　mending　the　High…wayes；　and　making　Rivers　Navigable　will　make　the　Wool　and　Cattle　of　Ireland　vend　the　better。　　　　　7。　The　full　understanding　of　the　nature　of　Money；　the　effects　of　the　various　species　of　Coins；　and　of　their　uncertain　values；　as　also　of　raising　or　embasing　them；　is　a　learning　most　proper　for　Ireland；　which　hath　been　lately　much　and　often　abused　for　the　want　of　it。　　　　　8。　Since　Lands　are　worth　but　six　or　seven　years　purchase；　and　yet　twenty　years　just　cross　the　Channel；　'twere　good　the　people　of　Ireland　knew　the　reasons　of　it　at　a　time　when　there　is　means　of　help。　　　　　Lastly；　if　any　man　hath　any　Notions　which　probably　may　be　good　for　Ireland；　he　may　with　most　advantage　expose　them　to　publick　examination　now；　when　the　Duke　of　Ormond　is　Chief　Governour：　for；　　　　　　1。　His　Grace　knows　that　Countrey　perfectly　well；　as　well　of　particular　persons；　as　of　all　and　every　factions　and　parties　struggling　with　each　other　in　that　Kingdom；　understanding　withall　the　state　of　England；　and　also　of　several　Forreign　Nations；　with　reference　to　Ireland。　　　　　2。　His　Grace　hath　given　fresh　demonstration　of　his　care　of　an　English　Interest　in　Ireland；　and　of　his　wisdom　in　reconciling　the　several　cross　concernments　there　so　far　as　the　same　is　possible。　　　　　3。　His　Graces　Estate　in　Lands　there　is　the　greatest　that　ever　was　in　Ireland；　and　consequently　he　is　out　of　the　danger　incident　to　those　Proreges　against　whom　Cambden　sayes；　Hibernia　est　semper　querula；　there　being　no　reason　for　ones　getting　more　Land；　who　hath　already　the　most　of　any。　　　　　4。　Whereas　some　chief　Governours　who　have　gone　into　Ireland；　chiefly　to　repair　or　raise　fortunes；　have　withdrawn　themselves　again　when　their　work　hath　been　done；　not　abiding　the　clamours　and　complaints　of　the　people　afterwards：　But　his　grace　hath　given　Hostages　to　that　Nation　for　his　good　Government；　and　yet　hath　taken　away　aforehand　all　fears　of　the　contrary。　　　　　5。　His　Grace　dares　do　whatever　he　understands　to　be　fitting；　even　to　the　doing　of　a　single　Subject　Justice　against　a　Confederate　multitude；　being　above　the　sinister　interpretations　of　the　jealous　and　querulous；　for　his　known　Liberality　and　Magnificence　shall　ever　keep　him　free　from　the　clamor　of　the　people；　and　his　through…tried　fidelity　shall　frustrate　the　force　of　any　subdolous　whispering　in　the　Ears　of　His　Majesty。　　　　　6。　His　good　acceptance　of　all　ingenious　endeavours；　shall　make　the　wise　men　of　this　Eastern　England　be　led　by　his　Star　into　Ireland；　and　there　present　him　with　their　choicest　advices；　who　can　most　judiciously　select　and　apply　them。　　　　　Lastly；　this　great　Person　takes　the　great　Settlement　in　hand；　when　Ireland　is　a　white　paper；　when　there　sits　a　Parliament　most　affectionate　to　his　person；　and　capable　of　his　Counsel；　under　a　King　curious　as　well　as　careful　of　Reformation；　and　when　there　is　opportunity；　to　pass　into　Positive　Laws　whatsoever　is　right　reason　and　the　Law　of　Nature。　　　　　Wherefore　by　applying　those　Notions　unto　Ireland；　I　think　I　have　harped　upon　the　right　string；　and　have　struck　whilest　the　Iron　is　hot；　by　publishing　them　now；　when；　if　ever　at　all；　they　be　useful。　I　would　now　advertise　the　world；　that　I　do　not　think　I　can　mend　it；　and　that　I　hold　it　best　for　every　mans　particular　quiet；　to　let　it　vadere　sicut　vult；　I　know　well；　that　res　nolunt　male　admistrari；　and　that　（say　I　what　I　will　or　can）　things　will　have　their　course；　nor　will　nature　be　couzened：　Wherefore　what　I　have　written；　（as　I　said　before）　was　done　but　to　ease　and　deliver　my　self；　my　head　having　been　impregnated　with　these　things　by　the　daily　talk　I　hear　about　advancing　and　regulating　Trade；　and　by　the　murmurs　about　Taxes；　etc。　Now　whether　what　I　have　said　be　contemned　or　cavilled　at；　I　care　not；　being　of　the　same　minde　about　this；　as　some　thriving　men　are　concerning　the　profuseness　of　their　Children；　for　as　they　take　pleasure　to　get　even　what　they　believe　will　be　afterwards　pissed　against　the　wall；　so　do　I　write；　what　I　suspect　will　signifie　nothing：　Wherefore　the　race　being　not　to　the　swift；　etc。　but　time　and　chance　happening　to　all　men；　I　leave　the　Judgement　of　the　whole　to　the　Candid；　of　whose　correction　I　shall　never　be　impatient。

Chapter　1

Of　the　several　sorts　of　Publick　Charges。

　　　　The　Publick　Charges　of　a　State；　are；　That　of　its　Defence　by　Land　and　Sea；　of　its　Peace　at　home　and　abroad；　as　also　of　its　honourable　vindication　from　the　injuries　of　other　States；　all　which　we　may　call　the　Charge　of　the　Militia；　which　commonly　is　in　ordinary　as　great　as　any　other　Branch　of　the　whole；　but　extraordinary；　（that　is；　in　time　of　War；　or　fear　of　War）　is　much　the　greatest。　　　　　2。　Another　branch　of　the　Publick　Charge　is；　the　Maintenance　of　the　Governours；　Chief　and　Subordinate；　I　mean；　such　not　onely　as　spend　their　whole　time　in　the　Execution　of　their　respective　Offices；　but　also　who　spent　much　in　fitting　themselves　as　well　with　abilities　to　that　end；　as　in　begetting　an　opinion　in　their　Superiors　of　such　their　ability　and　trustworthiness。　　　　　3。　Which　Maintenance　of　the　Governours　is　to　be　in　such　a　degree　of　plenty　and　splendour；　as　private　Endeavours　and　Callings　seldom　reach　unto：　To　the　end；　that　such　Governours　may　have　the　natural　as　well　as　the　artificial　Causes　of　Power　to　act　with。　　　　　4。　For　if　a　great　multitude　of　men　should　call　one　of　their　number　King