In the next place I reply to the excellent Monsieur Auzout's
"Letters from Rome," who is content that London, Westminster, and
Southwark may have as many people as Paris and its suburbs; and but
faintly denieth, that all the housing within the bills may have
almost as many people as Paris and Rouen, but saith that several
parishes inserted into these bills are distant from, and not
contiguous with London, and that Grant so understood it.
To which (as his main if not his only objection) we answer: --(l)
That the London bills appear in Grant's book to have been always,
since the year 1636; as they now are; (2) That about fifty years
since, three or four parishes, formerly somewhat distant, were
joined by interposed buildings to the bulk of the city, and
therefore then inserted into the bills; (3) That since fifty years
the whole buildings being more than double have perfected that
union, so as there is no house within the said bills from which one
may not call to some other house; (4) All this is confirmed by
authority of the king and city, and the custom of fifty years; (5)
That there are but three parishes under any colour of this exception
which are scarce one-fifty-second part of the whole.
Upon the whole matter, upon sight of Monsieur Auzout's large letter,
dated the 19th of November, from Rome, I made remarks upon every
paragraph thereof, but suppressing it (because it looked like a war
against a worthy person with whom I intended none, whereas, in
truth, it was but a reconciling explication of some doubts) I have
chosen the shorter and softer way of answering Monsieur Auzout as
followeth, viz.
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