PETTY. 



tious fishes, particularly the shad, suck- 

 ing their blood. 



PETTY, (Sir WILLIAM), a singular in- 

 stance of a universal genius, was the elder 

 son of Anthony Petty, a clothier at Rum- 

 scy in Hampshire, England, where he was 

 born in the year 1623. While a boy he 

 took great delight in spending his time 

 among the artificers, whose trades he 

 could work at when but 12 years of age. 

 At the age of 15 he was master of the La- 

 tin, Greek, and French languages, with 

 arithmetic, and those parts of practical 

 geometry and astronomy useful in navi- 

 gation. Soon alter he went to the Uni- 

 versity of Caen in Normandy ; and after 

 some stay there he returned to England, 

 where he was preferred in the king's 

 navy. In 1643, lie went into the Nether- 

 lands and France for three years ; and 

 having vigorously prosecuted his studies, 

 especially in physic, at the Universities of 

 Utrecht," Ley lien, Amsterdam, and Paris, 

 he returned home. In 1647, he obtained 

 a patent to teach the art of double writ- 

 ing for seventeen years. In 1648, he pub- 

 lished at London, " Advice to Mr. Samuel 

 Ilarthb, for the advancement of some par- 

 ticular parts of learning." At this time 

 he adhered to the prevailing party of the 

 nation ; and went to Oxford, where he 

 taught anatomy and chemistry, and was 

 created a Doctor of Physic, and grew into 

 such repute, that the philosophical meet- 

 ings, which preceded and laid the foun- 

 dation of the Royal Society, were first held 

 at his house. In 1650, he was made Pro- 

 fessor of Anatomy there ; and soon after 

 a member of the College of Physicians in 

 London, as also Professor of Music at 

 Gresham Collcp;e, London. In 1652, he 

 \vas appointed Physician to the army in 

 Ireland ; as also to three Lord Lieutenants 

 successively, Lambert, Fleetwood, and 

 Henry Cromwell. In Ireland he acquired 

 a great fortune, but not without suspi- 

 cions and charges of unfair practices in his 

 offices. After the rebellion was over in 

 Ireland, he was appointed one of the com- 

 missioners for dividing the forfeited lands 

 to the army who suppressed it. When 

 Henry Cromwell became Lieutenant of 

 that kingdom, in 165.5, he appointed Dr. 

 Petty his secretary, and clerk of the 

 council : he likewise procured him to be 

 elected a burgess for West Loo in Corn- 

 wall, in Richard Cromwell's parliament, 

 which met in January, 1658. But, in 

 March following, Sir Hierom Sankey, 

 member for Woodstock in Oxfordshire, 

 impeached him of high crimes and misde- 

 meanors in the execution of his office. 



This gave the doctor a great deal of trou- 

 ble, as he \vas summonedbeforethe House 

 of Commons; and notwithstanding the 

 strenuous endeavours of his friends, in 

 their recommendations of him to Secretary 

 Thurloe, and the defence he made before 

 the House, his enemies procured his dis- 

 mission from his public employments in 

 1659. He then retired to Ireland till the 

 restoration of King Charles the Second ; 

 soon after which he came into England, 

 where he was very graciously received by 

 the king, resigned his professorship at 

 Gresham College, and was appointed one 

 of the commissioners of the Court of 

 Claims. Likewise, April the llth, 1661, 

 he received the honour of knighthood, and 

 the grant of a new patent, constituting 

 him surveyor-general of Ireland, and was 

 chosen a member of parliament there. 



Upon the incorporating of the Royal 

 Society, he was one of the first members, 

 and of its first council. And though he 

 had left off the practice of physic, his name 

 was continued as an honorary member of 

 the College of Physicians in 1663. About 

 this lime he invented his double-bottomed 

 ship, to sail against wind and tide, and 

 afterwards presented a model of this ship 

 to the Royal Society ; to whom also, in 

 1665, he communicated " A Discourse 

 about the Building of Ships," containing 

 some curious secrets in that art. But, 

 upon trial, finding his ship failed in some 

 respects, he at length gave up that pro- 

 ject. 



In 1666, Sir William drew up a treatise, 

 called " Verbum Sapienti," containing an 

 account of the wealth and expenses of 

 England, and the method of raising taxes 

 in the most equal manner. He was well 

 acquainted with the general principles of 

 political arithmetic, and studiously pro- 

 moted many projects highly useful to his 

 country. It must, however, be admitted 

 that lie was equally attentive to his own 

 interests. Thus, at six!)', he writes that 

 his thoughts were fixed upon improving 

 his lands in Ireland, and to promote the 

 trade of iron, lead, marble, fish, &c. of 

 which his estate is capable. As for stu- 

 dies and experiments, " I think now," 

 says he, " to confine the same to the ana- 

 tomy of the people, and political arithme- 

 tic; as also the improvement of ships, 

 land carriages, guns, and pumps, as of 

 most use to mankind." He died in De- 

 cember, 1687, leaving behind him wealth 

 to the amount of about 15,000/. per ann. 

 His works were very numerous, some of 

 winch are well known, aud frequently re- 

 ferred to by authors in the present day. 



