8. It hath already been observed by the London bills that there are more
males than females. It is to be further noted, that in these six London
bills, also, there is not one instance either in the births or burials to
the contrary.
9. It hath been formerly observed that in the years wherein most die
fewest are born, and _vice versa_. The same may be further observed in
males and females, viz., when fewest males are born then most die: for
here the males died as twelve to eleven, which is above the mean
proportion of fourteen to thirteen, but were born but as nineteen to
eighteen, which is below the same.
_Observations upon the Table B_.
1. From the Table B it appears that the medium of the fifteen years’
burials (being 24,199) is 1,613, whereas the medium of the other six
years in the Table A was 1,644, and that the medium of the fifteen years’
births (being in all 14,765) is 984, whereas the medium of the said other
six years was 1,026. That is to say, there were both fewer births and
burials in these fifteen years than in the other six years, which is a
probable sign that at a medium there were fewer people also.
2. The medium of births for the fifteen years being 984, whereof
eight-fifths (being 1,576) is the standard of health for the said fifteen
years; and the triple of the said 1,576 being 4,728, is the standard for
each of the ternaries of the fifteen years within the said table.
3. That 2,952, the triple of 984 births, is for each ternary the
standard of people’s increase and decrease from the year 1666 to 1680
inclusive, viz., the people increased in the second ternary, and
decreased from the same in the third and fourth ternaries, but
re-increased in the fifth ternary beyond any other.
4. That the last ternary was withal very healthful, the burials being
but 4,624, viz., below 4,728, the standard.
5. That according to this proportion of increase, the housing of Dublin
have probably increased also.
_Observations upon the Table C_.
1. First, from the Table C it appears, 1. That the housing of Dublin is
such, as that there are not five hearths in each house one with another,
but nearer five than four.
2. That in St. Warburgh’s parish are near six hearths to a house. In
St. John’s five. In St. Michael’s above five. In St. Nicholas Within
above six. In Christ Church above seven. In St. James’s and St.
Katherine’s, and in St. Michan’s, not four. In St. Kevin’s about four.
3. That in St. James’s, St. Michan’s, St. Bride’s, St. Warburgh’s, St.
Andrew’s, St. Michael’s, and St. Patrick’s, all the christenings were but
550, and the burials 1,055, viz., near double; and that in the rest of
the parishes the christenings were five, and the burials seven, viz., as
457 to 634. Now whether the cause of this difference was negligence in
accounts, or the greaterness of the families, &c., is worth inquiring.
4. It is hard to say in what order (as to greatness) these parishes
ought to stand, some having most families, some most hearths, some most
births, and others most burials. Some parishes exceeding the rest in
two, others in three of the said four particulars, but none in all four.
Wherefore this table ranketh them according to the plurality of the said
four particulars wherein each excelleth the other.
5. The London observations reckon eight heads in each family, according
to which estimation, there are 32,000 souls in the 4,000 families of
Dublin, which is but half of what most men imagine, of which but about
one sixth part are able to bear arms, besides the royal regiment.
6. Without the knowledge of the true number of people, as a principle,
the whole scope and use of the keeping bills of births and burials is
impaired; wherefore by laborious conjectures and calculations to deduce
the number of people from the births and burials, may be ingenious, but
very preposterous.
7. If the number of families in Dublin be about 4,000, then ten men in
one week (at the charge of about £5 surveying eight families in an hour)
may directly, and without algebra, make an account of the whole people,
expressing their several ages, sex, marriages, title, trade, religion,
&c., and those who survey the hearths, or the constables or the parish
clerks (may, if required) do the same ex officio, and without other
charge, by the command of the chief governor, the diocesan, or the mayor.
8. The bills of London have since their beginning admitted several
alterations and improvements, and £8 or £10 per annum surcharge, would
make the bills of Dublin to exceed all others, and become an excellent
instrument of Government. To which purpose the forms for weekly,
quarterly, and yearly bills are humbly recommended, viz.