The Case of the four hundred coach men their widows and assigns, formerly licensed by virtue of an act of Parliament, made in the thirteenth and fourteenth years of King Charles II to drive Hackney coaches in the cities of London and Westminster, and the suburbs thereof.

The CASE OF THE Four Hundred Coach Men, their Widows and Assigns, formerly Licensed by vir∣tue of an Act of Parliament, made in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Years of King Charles II. to drive Hackney Coaches in the Cities of London and West∣minster, and the Suburbs thereof. Humbly offered to the Consideration of Parliament.

AN Act Intitutled, among other things,* 1.1 An Act for Regulating and Licensing Hackney Coaches to be driven for Hire about the Cities of London and West∣minster, and Parishes within the Weekly Bills of Mortality was Passed; where∣by it was Enacted,

• 1. That Four Hundred and no more should be Licensed for that purpose.
• 2. That his Majesty should appoint Commissioners to License the same, and that Five Pound per An. should be paid for every License, and directed for what Uses, to wit, for removing Nusances, widening and paving Streets, and mending Shewers.
• 3. That no one Coach Man should have above Two Licences.
• 4. That they should observe the Rules prescribed therein.
• 5. That none take more for Hire by the Day or Hour, or from Place to Place, than therein was directed.
• 6. No other Persons were permitted to drive Coaches, for Hire, within the Limits aforesaid.

Pursuant whereunto

Commissioners were appointed.

Four Hundred and no more Licensed.

Those Licences continued for Seventeen Years; in which time the Coach Men so Licensed, paid to the Uses by the said Act directed 34000 lb.

Besides they laid out their Stocks in Coaches and Horses.

Took Leases of Houses, Coach-houses, and Stables for a long term of Years; a great Number of which are yet to come.

Paid great Fines, besides Yearly Rent they are obliged to pay.

All this they did for the Service of his Late Majesty's Subjects, and were encou∣raged so to do in some Measure.

1. Because during the Act its continuance, if any Coach Man Licensed, by virtue thereof hapned to dye, leaving a Widow behind him, she was to injoy his Licence after his Death.

2. Because each Coach Man Licensed was permitted, if not able to keep a Coach and Horses himself, to transfer his Figure to another, or Lett it by the Week to work out his Debt, and provide for the Subsistance of him and his Wife and Children.

This Act Expired in 1679, or 1680.

Since which time the Four Hundred were Licensed by Act of Common Council of the City of London, to drive within the said City and Liberties thereof, and to stand at several Places in the Streets. Other Coaches Prohibited standing there to take up Fares; which said Act directed their Government, like that appointed by the Act of Parliament of 13, 14 of King Charles the Second, and limitted them to take the same Hire setled by Act of Parliament; and they have observed the Rules and Orders, and taken the Prices directed.

Nevertheless many of them are Ruined for want of Work, occasioned by about 130 Interloping Coach Men set up without Licences; who, if continued, will undo the rest, there not being Imployment sufficient within the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Weekly Bills of Mortality for the Four Hundred, whereby they can earn Money to defray the necessary Charges, and the casual Losses, pay the Five Pound per An. to the Publick out of their hard Labour, and provide a mean Subsistance for their Families.

Of this the Four Hundred complained to the Parliament in 1680, and Peti∣tioned to have the aforesaid Act revived.

A Bill for that purpose was Prepared, Read and Committed, and the Committee often met upon it; but before any Report made, the Parliament was Prorogued, and after was Dissolved.

The like Address they were ready to have made to the Parliament at Oxford, had not the suddain Dissolution thereof prevented the same.

The Four Hundred Petitioned the Parliament then Sitting,* 1.2 Praying that the Act of 13, 14 of King Charles II. before recited, might be revived, so far is it related to the Coaches; and that there might be but Four Hundred, as formerly; and the Petitioners to be those Four Hundred, for the Reasons aforesaid; and under the Rents, and subject to Rules and Orders before mentioned.

Thereupon the Interlopers made Application to be added to the Four Hundred.

And some on behalf of Chelsey Colledge prosecuted for an addition to the Four Hundred.

Several Bills were brought in, Read and Committed; and several Petitions referred to the same Committee.

The Committee several times Sat, and were attended by all Parties, and made a Report.

Whereupon it was referred to a Select Committee to prepare one Bill out of the several then depending.

And, in so doing, to have regard to the subject Matter of the Houses debate, had upon the aforesaid Report:

Viz. How the said Money should be disposed, that should be raised by Li∣censes.

But before any Proceedings thereupon had, the Parliament was Adjourned until November 1685.

In the Interval of their Sitting, the Committee met, and a short Bill was prepared, the purport whereof was, to revive the aforesaid Act of 13, 14 of King Charles II.

So far as it related to the Regulating the Hackney Coaches, with a Blank for the Number, and Yearly Rent.

The Parliament Sate,* 1.3 but before the Committee had agreed upon, and made their Report, it was Prorogued, and after Dissolved.

This being the Condition of the Four Hundred Coach Men.

They most Humbly Implore the Favour of this Honourable House to take the same into their Serious Consideration, and to pass an Act for the reviving of the Act of the 13, 14 of King Charles II. intituled, An Act amongst other things, For the Regulating and Licensing of Hackney Coaches, and for the Inlarging of the several Streets and Passages; with such Alteration, as to your great Wisdom shall seem meet.

• 1. And that by the said Act, the Number of Coaches to be Licensed to drive for Hire, may not exceed Four Hundred.
• 2. That those formerly Licensed may be continued.
• 3. That the Yearly Sum to be by each of them paid, may not be above Five Pounds.
• 4. That they may now, as formerly they were, be permitted to transfer, or let their Licenses, if necessitated thereunto by Means and Losses, as aforesaid.

Objection, If it shall be Objected, That the City and the Suburbs are Inlarged above a Fifth part, since the Passing the Act of 13, 14 of King Charles II. for limitting the Number of Coaches to be Four Hundred; and that therefore Four Hundred are not sufficient to do the Work now.

Answer, That though it be true, the Buildings are much Inlarged since 13, 14 of King Charles II. and consequently the City more Populous now than then; yet it is certain, that a very great Part of those New Buildings are Unhabited, and so like to be; Thousands of them standing now empty.

And the Increase of the Buildings is no Argument to prove, that there is a Ne∣cessity for more Hackney Coaches now than then.

Rather the contrary will appear, if it be Considered, That there is above Thirty Coaches kept now by Gentlemen, and Tradesmen about London, for every One that was kept when that Act was made, and near as many Chairs; so that most of those, who formerly made use of Hackney Coaches and Chairs, now make use of their own.

Besides, in Rebuilding of London, and Erecting those New Buildings in the City and Suburbs, such care has been taken to inlarge the Streets and pave them smooth, and to build such good Penthouses over them, that few or none now that have health and are able to walk, but chuse rather to go on foot than to ride in Hackney Coaches.

So, that by the best Estimate that can be made, it appears that there is not so much Money spent in Hackney Coaches as was about Twenty three Years ago.

When only Four Hundred were allowed, consequently no occasion to increase their Number.

That when there were but Four Hundred, and each paid but Five Pound per an' many of them broke Yearly, and were compelled to sell their Licenses to pay the Debts they contracted, by keeping their Coaches and Horses; others forfeited their Licences for non-payment of Rent. And since the Act Expired, although they have not paid Rent, as formerly they did when the Act was in Force, yet they, by reason of the Interlopers driving, can hardly Live and get Bread for their Families.

These Instances are full Demonstration that their Advantage was not so great.

If so many broke and forfeited when there was but Four Hundred, at Five Pound per an' each, what can be expected to be the consequence of more being added to that Number, but that they all of them, in a short time, fall under the same misfortune? And many of them of late Years have been Ruined by the Interlopers.

This being the Truth of their Case,

It may be worth the Consideration of this Honourable House, That if more than Four Hundred be Licensed, they will not only undo each other, but be a great Anoyance to the Publick. For there is now but One Hundred and Thirty more that keep Coaches, besides the Four Hundred; and it is Humbly submitted to every Man's Judgment, Whether they do not find the same mischievous. Every Day what stops there are in the Streets, by their standing in Multitudes, how the Nobilities and Gentries Coaches, Foot Passengers, and others their Majesties Trading Subjects, and Shopkeepers are hindred in their passing the same (some∣times for an Hour together.) What spoils are frequently done to the Lords and Gentlemens Coaches and Horses. What Quarrels and Fightings are often occa∣sioned, And what Mischiefs have ensued thereupon.

For further Reasons why there should be but Four Hundred.

• 1. This will agree with the Judgment of that Parliament, which declared the Four Hundred sufficient; which Judgment of theirs remains, though their Act be determined.
• 2. It will prevent the stops met with dayly in the Streets, whereby Business is hindred, and frequently Meetings about Matters of great Consequence prevented.
• 3. It will prevent the Quarrels that are dayly between them, and the Servants of the Nobillity and Gentry.
• 4. It will put an end to these Losses the Subjects sustain by Unfigured Coaches, in which they frequently leave their Goods, and can never retrieve, not knowing how to find out their Coach. And it will prevent the frequent Affronts and ill Treatments those Coach Men give to their Fares, (especially if Women) unless they will pay them their own Unreasonable demands.
• 5. It will prevent the Ruine of many Hundreds of Tradesmen they deal with, to whom most of the Four Hundred are Indebted, because they have no other way to get Money to pay them.
• 6. It will prevent the Ruine of the Four Hundred now Licensed Coach Men, who Humbly hope their Licenses shall be continued, and no more Granted, upon the Considerations following.
  • 1. Because they are such, as were Originally Licensed by the aforesaid Act, or Claim under them, by reason of their Figures being transferred to them.
  • 2. Ever since the Act passed they have observed the Rules, Orders, and Di∣rections thereof, and has been under such Government as therein limitted.
  • 3. They have laid out their Stocks, in providing Coaches and able Horses.
  • 4. And have taken Leases of Houses, Coach-houses, and Stables, for a consi∣derable time to come, which they must pay the Rent of; and have no other way to do the same, but by following their present Callings.
  • 5. They have always behaved themselves Loyal Subjects.
  • 6. They have already paid 34000 lb. in Seventeen Years time for the Pub∣lick.
  • 7. They are many of them Widows left with Children, and others very An∣cient Men, who have nothing left but their Licences whereby to support Themselves and Families; though the Interlopers, do many, if not most of them, follow other Trades.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  13, 14 Car. 2.]
• * 1.2

  May 1685.
• * 1.3

  November 85.