Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/182

 reply appearing not altogether satisfactory, Sir William in his answer goes a little into details. 'As to your housekeeping,' he says, 'upon perusal of the accompte, I find there has been about eleven in family: viz. yourself, Crookshank, Cary, Antrobus, Sency, Harry, Bryan, and the groom, Jane, Margaret and Mary; besides my cousin, before Crookshank came. Now I see no necessity of above four, yourself, Crookshank, a groom, and maid. I also find there has been spent in housekeeping since my departure above 250l.; at which rate the whole year's expense must come to 340l.; nothing being reckoned for Marshall, Rutter, or several other agents in the country; which being put together and spending proportionately, will amount to between 400l. and 500l.; whereas I think 200l. is very fair for doing all my business out of Kerry. I also find that in the same three quarters of a year there hath been spent in law, letters, and travelling expenses, and agents' salaries, about 350l., which in the whole year will amount to above 450l.; whereas I conceive that about half the same would very well suffice. To be short, I conceive that comparing the business which hath been done with your accounts, that about 400l. may defray the charges of the lands, letters, travelling charges, dyet, horsement, and two servants' wages in Dublin; more than which I neither can nor will expend, both for the premises and all your salaries, considering that you have a house, furniture, and horses, over and above the sum; which cannot be worth less than 50l. or 60l. per annum. I now perceive what hath rained me, forasmuch as till now I never could come to the sight of any of my accounts; and being kept in perpetual darkness.'

At this period Sir William was almost continuously in Ireland. 'As for my health,' he writes to Lord Anglesea from Dublin, 'it is ordinarily well. What I do here are matters of recreation or business, or mixt. The first sort are such things as I exercised myself with before the age of twenty, to delude myself that I am now as then. The second sort of my business is to rectify double charges in the Exchequer, and prevent double payments, to contest with