Volume 1

The economic writings of Sir William Petty together with the Observations upon the bills of mortality, more probably by Captain John Graunt / edited by Charles Henry Hull.

  • Petty, William, Sir, 1623-1687.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The economic writings of Sir William Petty together with the Observations upon the bills of mortality, more probably by Captain John Graunt / edited by Charles Henry Hull. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    49/418 (page 43)
    expressed was later confirmed by its Secretary. During the Plague1 Oldenburg wrote from London: Though we had some abatement in our last week’s bill, yet we are much afraid it will run as high this week as ever. Mr Graunt, in his appendix to his Observations upon those bills (now reprinted) takes notice, that forasmuch as the people of London have, from Anno 1625 to this time, increased from eight to thirteen, so the mortality shall not exceed that of 1625, except the burials should exceed 8400 per week2. The case for Graunt is further strengthened by the testimony of John Bell, clerk of the Company of Parish Clerks3. The author of the “Observations” asserts4 that he visited the hall of the Parish Clerks, and used their records in the preparation of his book. Bell, therefore, who was in charge of the Clerks’ register, could scarcely have been deceived as to his identity. Now in London's Remem- brancer, after explaining and defending the manner in which the bills of mortality were prepared by the Company of Parish Clerks, Bell proceeds : I think I need not trouble myself herein [i.e., in describing the form of the bills], since that worthy and ingenious Gentleman, Captain John Graunt, in his Book of Natural and Political Observations on the Bills of Mortality, hath already so well described them. The last of the witnesses in the case is Sir Peter Pett. Born, probably, in 1627, a member of Oxford University while Petty was there, a charter fellow of the Royal Society, Pett was a life-long friend of Sir William5, and it is probable that he knew Graunt also6. In 1688 Pett published a folio volume designed to vindicate the Earl of Anglesey from the charge of being a Roman Catholic7. This gigantic pamphlet discusses many matters not germane to the charge 1 About the same time the Society reaffirmed its judgment by ordering the reprinting of “the Observations upon the Bills of Mortality by Mr John Graunt.” See p. 314. 2 Oldenburg to Boyle, 18 Sept., 1665, Boyle’s Works, vi. 194. 3 Concerning Bell, see p. lxxx. 4 P. 333. 5 Fitzmaurice, 248—250. 6 Carte, Ormond, 11. 342, cf. p. xxxvii. In mentioning the employment of Graunt to collect weavers in England and remove them thence to Ireland with a view to establishing there the manufacture of Norwich stuffs, as recommended in a memorial which Sir Peter Pett had presented to Ormond, Carte describes Graunt as “a man well known by his observations on the bills of mortality.” Carte wrote about 1735. 7 The Happy Future State of England, London: 1688. Anon.