Book IV. Males and Females (8), not in a wide Proportion, not an uncertain, accidental number at all Adventures, but nearly equal. Another thing is, that a few more are Born than appear to Die, in any certain

by his eftimate, I fay,) about 1 in 104 marry. For he judgeth the number of the People in England, to be about five Millions and a half; of which about 41000 annually marry. As to what might be farther remarked concerning Marriages, in regard of the Rights and Customs of feveral Nations, the Age to which divers Nations limited Marriage, &c. it would be endless, and too much out of the way to mention them. I fhall only therefore, for the Reader's diverfion, take notice of the Jeer of Lactantius, Quare apud Poetas falaciffimus Jupiter defiit liberos tollere? Utrum fexagenarius factus, & ei Lex Papia fibulam impofuit ? La&tant. Inftit. 1. 1. c. 16. By which Lex Papia, Men were prohibited to marry after 60, and Women after 50 Years of Age.

(8) Major Graunt, (whofe Conclufions feem to be wellgrounded,) and Mr. King, difagree in the Proportions they affign to Males and Females. This latter makes in London, 10 Males to be to 13 Females; in other Cities and MarketTowns, 8 to 9; and in the Villages and Hamlets 100 Males to 99 Females. But Major Graunt, both from the London and Country Bills faith, there are 14 Males to 13 Females. From whence he juftly infers, That Chriftian Religion, probibiting Polygamy, is more agreeable to the Law of Nature, than Mahumetifm, and others that allow it. Chap. 8.

This Proportion of 14 to 13, I imagine is nearly just, it being agreeable to the Bills I have met with, as well as those in Mr. Graunt. In the 100 Years, for example, of my own Parifh-Regifter, although the Burials of Males and Females were nearly equal, being 636 Males, and 623 Females in all that time; yet there were baptized 709 Males, and but 675 Females, which is 13 Females to 137 Males. Which inequality fhews, not only, that one Man ought to have but one Wife, but also that every Woman may, without Polygamy, have an Husband, if the doth not har her felf by the want of Vertue, by Denial, &c. Alfo this Surplufage of Males is very useful for the Supplies of War, the Seas, and other fuch expences of the Men above the Women.

That this is a Work of the Divine Providence, and not Matter of Chance, is well made out by the very Laws of Chance, by a Perfon able to do it, the ingenious and learn ed Dr. Arbuthnot. He fuppofeth Thomas to lay againg

John

tain place (9). Which is an admirable Provision for the extraordinary Emergencies and Occafions of the World; to fupply unhealthful Places, where Death out-runs-Life; to make up the Ravages of great Plagues, and Diseases, and the Depredations of War and the Seas; and to afford a fufficient number for Colonies in the unpeopled Parts of the Earth. Or on the other hand we may say, that fometimes those extraordinary Expences of Mankind may be not only a juft Punishment of the Sins of Men, but also a wife Means to keep the Balance of Mankind even; as one would be ready to conclude by confidering the Afiatick, and other the more fertile Countries, where prodigious Multitudes are yearly fwept away with great Plagues, and fometimes War, and yet thofe Countries are fo far from being wafted, that they remain full of People.

:

And

John, that for eighty two Years running, more Males fhall be born than Females and giving all Allowances in the Computation to Thomas's fide, he makes the odds against Thomas, that it doth not happen fo, to be near five Millions of Millions, of Millions, of Millions to one; but for Ages of Ages (according to the World's Age) to be near an infinite Number to one against Thomas. Vid. Phil. Tranf. No. 328. (9) The foregoing Table fhews, that in England in general, fewer Die than are Born, there being but I Death to Births. But in London more Die than are Born. Sa by Dr. Davenant's Tables, the Cities likewife and MarketTowns bury 12 to one Birth. But in Paris they out-do London, their Deaths being I to one Birth the reason of which I conceive is, because their Houfes are more crowded than in London. But in the Villages of England, there are fewer Die than are Born, there being but 1 Death to tz Births. And yet Major Graunt, and Dr. Davenant, both obferve, that there are more Breeders in London, and the Cities and Market-Towns, than are in the Country, notwithstanding the London-Births are fewer than the Coun try; the reafon of which fee in Graunt, Chap. 7. and Davenant ubi fupr. p. 21.

100

100

2

The laft Remark I fhall make from the foregoing Table hall be, that we may from thence judge of the Healthful N

Book IV. And now upon the whole matter, what is all this but admirable and plain Management? What can the maintaining throughout all Ages and Places thefe Proportions of Mankind, and all other Creatures, this Harmony in the Generations of Men be, but the Work of one that ruleth the World! Is it poffible that every Species of Animals fhould fo evenly be preferved, proportionate to the Occafions of the World? That they should be fo well balanced in all Ages and Places, without the help of Almighty Wifdom and Power! How is it poffible by the bare Rules, and blind Acts of Nature, that there fhould be any tolerable Proportion, for inftance, between Males and Females, either of Mankind, or of any other Creature (10), especially fuch as are of a Ferine, not of a Domeftick Nature, and confequently out of the command and management of Man! How could Life and Death keep fuch an even pace through all the Animal World! If we should take it for granted, that, according to the Scripture Hiftory, the World had a Beginning (as who can deny it (11) or if we should suppose the Destruction thereof by

Noah's

nefs of the Places there mentioned. If the Year 1698 was the mean Account of the three Marcks, thofe Places bid the fairest for being moft healthful; and next to them Aynho and Cranbrook for English Towns.

(10) Quid loquar, quanta ratio in beftiis ad perpetuam confervationem earum generis appareat? Nam primum alie Mares, alia Femina funt, quod perpetuitatis caufa machinata natura eft. Cic. de Nat. Deor. I. 2. c. 51.

(11) Altho' Ariftotle held the Eternity of the World, yet he feems to have retracted that Opinion, or to have had a different Opinion when he wrote his Metaphyficks; for in his firft Book, he affirms, that God is the Caufe and Beginning of all things and in his Book de Mundo he faith, There is no doubt hut God is the Maker and Confervator of all things in the World And the Stoicks Opinion is well known, who ftrenuously contended that the Contrivance and Beauty

of

179 Noah's Flood: How is it poffible (after the World was replenished) that in a certain number of Years, by the greater Increases and Doublings of each Species of Animals; that, I fay, this rate of Doubling (12) fhould ceafe; or that it fhould be compenfated by fome other means! That the World fhould be as well; or better ftocked than now it is, in 1656 Years (the time between the Creation and the Flood, this) we will suppose may be done by the natural Methods of each Species Doubling or Increase: But in double that number of Years, or at this distance from the Flood, of 4000 Years, that the World fhould not be over ftocked, can never be made out, without allowing an infinite Providence.

I con

of the Heavens, and Earth, and all Creatures was owing to a wife, intelligent Agent. Of which Tully gives a large Account in his fecond Book de Nat. Deor. in the Perfon of Balbus;

t

(12) I have before in Note 7. obferved, that the ordinary rate of the Doubling or Increase of Mankind is, that every Marriage, one with another, produces about four Births; but fome have much exceeded that. Babo, Earl of Aben Sperg, had thirty two Sons and eight Daughters, and being invited to Hunt with the Emperor Henry II. and bring but few Servants, brought only one Servant, and his thirty two Sons. To thefe many others might be added ; but one of the most remarkable Inftances I have any where met with, is that of Mrs. Honywood, mentioned by Hakewill, Camden, and other Authors; but having now before me the Names, with fome Remarks (which I received from a pious neigh bouring Defcendant from the fame Mrs, Honywood.) I fhall give a more particular Account than they. Mrs. Mary Ho nywood was Daughter, and one of the Co-Heireffes of Robert Atwaters, Efq; of Lenham in Kent. She was Born in 1527, Married in February, 1543. at fixteen Years of Age, to her only Husband Robert Honywood, of Charing in Kent, Efq; She died in the ninety third Year of her Age, in May 1620. She had fixteen Children of her own Body, feven Sons and nine Daughters; of which one had no Iffue, three died young, and the youngest was flain at Newport-Battle, Fune 20. 1600. Her Grand-Children in the fecond Generation, were one hundred and fourteen; in the third two hun

N 1

dred

Book IV. I conclude then this Obfervation with the Pfalmifts Words, Pfal. 104.29, 30. Thou hideft thy Face, all Creatures are troubled, thou takeft away their Breath, they Die, and return to their Duft. Thou fendeft forth thy Spirit, they are Created, and thou reneweft the Face of the Earth.

T

CHAP. XI.

Of the Food of Animals.

H E preceeding Reflection of the Pfalmift, mindeth me of another thing in common to Animals, that pertinently falleth next under Confideration, which is the Appointment of Food, mentioned in ver. 27, 28, of the laft cited 104 Pfalm. Thefe [Creatures] wait all upon thee: that thou mayft give them their Meat in due Seafon. That thou giveft them, they gather thou openeft thy Hand, they are

filled

dred and twenty-eight; and nine in the fourth GeneratiSo that he could fay the fame that the Diftick doth, made of one of the Dalburg's Family of Bafil:

.on.

3

4

* Rife up Daughter, and go to thy Daughter, for her Daughters

5

6

Daughter bath a Daughter. Mrs. Honywood was a very pious Woman, afflicted, in her declining Age, with Defpair, in fome measure; concerning which, fome Divines once difcourfing with her, fhe in a Paffion faid, She was as certainly damned as this Glafs is broken, throwing a VeniceGlafs against the Ground, which he had then in her Hand, But the Glafs efcaped breaking, as credible Witneffes attefted.

(1) Ra