He wrote Observations on the bills of mortality very ingeniosely (but I beleeve, and partly know, that he had his hint from his intimate and familiar friend Sir William Petty), to which he made some Additions, since printed. And he intended, had he lived, to have writt more on the subject.
He writt also some Observations on the advance of excise, not printed: quaere his widowe for them.
To give him his due prayse, he was a very ingeniose and studious person, and generally beloved, and rose early in the morning to his study before shop-time. He understood Latin and French. He was a pleasant facetious companion, and very hospitable.
He was bred-up (as the fashion then was) in the Puritan way; wrote short-hand dextrously; and after many yeares constant hearing and writing sermon-notes, he fell to buying and reading of the best Socinian bookes, and for severall yeares continued of that opinion. At last, about ..., he turned a Roman Catholique, of which religion he dyed a great zealot.
He was free of the drapers' company, and by profession was a haberdasher of small-wares. He had gone through all the offices[1008] of the city so far as common-councell-man. Captain of the trayned-bands severall yeares; major, 2 or 3 yeares.—He was a common councell man 2 yeares, and then putt out (as also of his military employment in the trayned band) for his religion.
He was admitted a fellowe of the Royall Societie, anno 16.. (about 1663).
He broke[1009].... He dyed on Easter eve[1010] 1674; buryed on the Wednesday in Easter-weeke in St. Dunstan's church in Fleet Strete under the gallery about the middle (or more west) north side, anno aetatis suae 54.
He had one son, a man, who dyed in Persia; one daughter, a nunne at ... (I thinke, Gaunt). His widowe yet alive.
[1011]Major John Graunt dyed on Easter-eve 1674, and was buryed the Wednesday followeing in St. Dunstan's church in Fleet street in the body of the said church under the piewes towards the gallery on the north side, i.e., under the piewes (alias hoggsties) of the north side of the middle aisle (what pitty 'tis so great an ornament of the citty should be buryed so obscurely!), aetatis anno 54º.