Note 1047 — Chapter II · RETROSPECT.
Reading edition
The Córtes of 1570 complained of the sale of hidalguias, which were bought by the richer taxpayers, whose burden was thus thrown on the poor and miserable. To this Philip II replied that his necessities compelled him to it, but that more consideration would be shown in future.—Córtes de Cordova del año de setenta, fol. 5 (Alcalá, 1575).
By the censuses of 1768 and 1787 the exempt classes were—
1768.1787.
Hidalgos722,794480,589
Clergy183,965151,973
906,759632,562
Floridablanca felicitated himself on the reduction thus shown in the exemptions, resulting from greater strictness in admitting claims, while the population had increased from 9,309,804 to 10,409,879.—Censo español en el año de 1787.