4. As to the births, we say that A.D. 1640, 1641, and 1642, at
London, just before the troubles in religion began, the births were
five-sixths of the burials, by reason I suppose of the greaterness
of families in London above the country, and the fewer breeders, and
not for want of registering. Wherefore, deducting one-sixth of
2,263, which is 377, there remains 1,886 for the probable number of
births in Dublin for the year 1682; whereas but 912 are represented
to have been christened in that year, though 1,023 were christened
A.D. 1671, when there died but 1,696, which decreasing of the
christening, and increasing of the burials, shows the increase of
non-registering in the legal books, which must be the increase of
Roman Catholics at Dublin.
The scope of this whole paper therefore is, that the people of
Dublin are rather 58,000 than 32,000, and that the dissenters, who
do not register their baptisms, have increased from 391 to 974: but
of dissenters, none have increased but the Roman Catholics, whose
numbers have increased from about two to five in the said years.
The exacter knowledge whereof may also be better had from direct
inquiries.
OBSERVATIONS UPON THE DUBLIN BILLS OF MORTALITY, 1681: AND THE
STATE OF THAT CITY.
The observations upon the London bills of mortality have been a new
light to the world, and the like observation upon those of Dublin
may serve as snuffers to make the same candle burn clearer.
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