To the honourable the knights, citizens, and burgesses of the House of Commons in Parliament assembled, proposals most humbly offered for raising (in all likelyhood) upwards of five millions of money, without charging the poor, or burthening the rich by such ways and means, that (for the greatest part thereof) the payers will voluntarily tax themselves : as also some objections answered, and a method proposed for the easie collection thereof, with much certainty and small charge.

Now the Method Proposed for the Easie Collecting a Tax thus laid, is Briefly thus,

That in every House or Shop, where these Commodities are made, or sold, there may be fixed, the Kings Box, so contrived, (which I can do), as not to be pick'd or open'd! whereof the King's head Re∣ceiver, of each Parish, Ward, or Hundred to keep the Key: the Ma∣ster of each such House or Shop to have Three pence in the Pound for all Taxes put therein, and to be answerable as well for the due payment as the goodness thereof: Having Books for that purpose, wherein to be Entred, the Buyer and Sellers Name, and the Name of the Commodity, and price sold for, with the Summ paid for Tax: which the said House or Shop-keeper, shall be obliged to re∣ceive and put into the said Box, in the view of such Buyer, before delivery of such Commodity, whether for ready Money, or on Cre∣dit: And for avoiding all Fraud and Deceit therein, upon the In∣formation of any such Buyer, and proof thereof upon Oath before any Justice of Peace, or two or more Commissioners for Taxes, within 48 hours after any Goods or Commodity so Taxed, being sold and delivered, for which the Tax hath not been Demanded and actually pay'd into the Box, and fairly Enter'd in the Book as afore∣said, the seller of such Commodity to forfeit the Summ of for every such Omission, the one Moiety to the King, and the o∣ther to the Informer: And every such House or Shop keeper, to be answerable for their Wife, Servants, and Apprentices unfaithfulness therein: The said Box to be opened by such Receiver at Pleasure, in the Presence of two or more of the Commissioners within that Parish, Ward, or Hundred, and of the House or Shop-keeper: And being adjusted with the Book of Entry's; the said Receiver to give Acquittance for the Summ therein found, and a fair Copy thereof attested under the Hands and Seals of the said Commissioners, and House or Shop-keeper, to be returned Quarterly into his Majesties Exchequer, so as the said Receiver may be charged to answer the same.

The Teachers of Musick, Dancing, and Singing, to be obliged not to Teach, under a Penalty, until the Tax be first paid, at the next Box to the place where such Schollar shall be Taught.

The Tax on Plows and Swords to be Collected and Assessed as the Tax on Marriages, Christenings and Burials.

And if any thing herein named should be sold where no such Box shall be fixed as aforesaid, or be sent to Persons Houses and there a∣greed for &c. It may be very easie for such Persons to send a Ser∣vant with the Seller to the next place where such Box is, and there to pay the Tax, and Enter the Names of Buyer and Seller as afore∣said; which every House or Shop-keeper where such Boxes are, may willingly, or be injoyned to do Gratis, by reason of the Three Pence in the Pound to be allow'd him as aforesaid.

One of which Boxes may be carry'd into any Court, &c. un∣der the care of the Clerk of the Crown, or Peace; or other Offi∣cer daily attending there. And one also may be fixed at each Play-House under the Care of him or them who give out the Tickets, &

[Query,] Now supposing the several particulars herein named, were Taxed according to this Proposal? what Sums may reasonably be expected to be raised thereby.

[Answer,] This is (I humbly conceive) equally uncertain with other Taxes of this kind, As on Glass, Paper and Parchment, &c. neither being possible to be even so much as guessed at, till after some time for Tryal, &c. However according to such Estimates as I can make from Persons who are dealers in some of them, of what, for Years past, have been spent therein; I shall give two or three In∣stances, and submit them to better and more certain Experience.

	l.	s.
1. 'Tis Conjectured that there have been for several Years past, upwards of 40 Millions of Thousands of Bricks and Tyles used yearly; How∣ever I will only compute for the one third part thereof which at 1 s. per Thousand will amount to	666,666	13
2. By several Computations, 'tis thought there are upwards of Seven Millions of People (some say Eight) in England and Wales: Now suppose one fourth part of Seven, one with another, to lay out for Hatts, Peruques, Commodes, Muffs, Tip∣pets, Musick, Singing and Dancing, &c. Twenty Shillings each yearly, which at 12 d. per Pound, amounts to	87,500

	l.
3. If Disbursed for China Ware, Cabinets, Es∣critoires, Pictures, Imported, Drawn, Bought and Sold, at Playes. For Plate, Jewels, Clocks, Watches, Fringe and Lace, &c. to the Value of 200,000 Pound yearly, at 12 d. per Pound that will amount unto	10,000
	l.	s.
These three Heads amount to	764,166	13

Without Reckoning for Plows, Motions, Causes or Tryals, or for Swords, &c.

	l.	s.
Now this Tax being laid for Seven Years (for then no Persons would suspend or alter Measures in their intended and accustomed Uses of any of these particulars depending on the Expiration of this Tax) by the Computation as above would raise the Summ of	5,349,165	11

But supposing some of the Particulars before mentioned be omit∣ted, or that some or all of them be over computed, and 349,165 l. 11 s. being struck off, the remaining Five Millions, to me (with humble submission) seems very probable to be raised with much more Ease, and Equality, than by any other Proposal I have yet seen. And,

If the Mite here Humbly offer'd, in the whole, or in part, prove Useful to the King and Publick, I shall account my self very hap∣py in being Instrumental therein.

J. M.