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A PROPOSAL Humbly Offered to the Honourable House of Commons for Raising 5310063 l. 12 s.
AS an Introduction to our Proposal, we suppose in England and Wales 8000000 of People; That 1200000 are Masters, and 2666666 Servants; which is One Third. Now if these Masters are charged for their Servants, and the Servants for themselves, according to the following Proposals, then it will amount to 5310063 l. 12 s.
But before we come to the Proposal it self, we desire to explain our selves in a few Things; And to answer an Objection or two, which consequently will be made against it.
First, By Masters, we do not mean only those which have Families, and the full Number of Servants hereafter mentioned; but likewise every Person, of what Age, Sex or Condition soever: And they, according to their several Denominations, shall become obliged to pay for a fixed Number; otherwise, this Tax would be very unequal; and one Third of the Wealthiest Part of the Kingdom would be left out.
Secondly, By Servants, we do not understand only those that are Menial, and Hired at certain Wages; but also all Lawyers Clerks, all Appren∣tices, Journey-men, and others, whose Salaries and Wages are fixed either by the Year, or Quarter; as also all Sons and Daughters that may be judged to do the Duty either of Servants or Apprentices. And then, as to our Design in this Tax, we humbly offer it as an Expedient to discharge the Land from the heavy Burthen it hath lain under during the whole War; and to fix a proper Share of it upon those that have paid very little towards the Support of it hitherto.
And now as to the Objections, we can see very few that are any ways material; Perhaps it will be objected, that this will consequently occasion several Masters to turn away their Servants, &c. But why so? What, because they must pay for so many, whether they have them or not? We are very certain this can be no good Objection, neither can their be any reason given why the Masters should turn away their Servants upon the account of this Tax, by which every Gentleman of an Estate will be Reliev'd two thirds at least, and some a great deal more.
Others perhaps will Object, That the several Summs proposed are too large; but then they would do well to consider that the Summ to be rais'd is very large too: and then, upon the whole, they will find they could not possibly be lower. In short, there wants but few Ar∣guments to ascert the Equality of this Tax: For first, it takes the Burthen off the Land, charges the Poor nothing, is in no respect oppres∣sive to the middle sort, and but Taxes the Noblemen and Gentlemen in their due Proportions, and yet raiseth a larger supply then what hath been done by any former Tax.
But for all this, we must still expect that this Proposal will meet with abundance of Objections and Censures. Some will be angry with it perhaps, because 'tis none of their own; some for want of consideration; and many out of prejudice or ignorance: But whatever the fate of it be, we have this certain reserve, That if it shall be thought worthy the Honourable House of Commons, it will fall into the hands of those that are best able to judge of things of this kind, and to them we referr it; and so we come to the Proposal it self.
| Masters | Servants | l. | s. | d. | |
| First, That every Person, of what Quality or Degree soever, that shall appear to be worth 2000l. per Annum, or upwards, in Lands, Houses, Money, Places, or All together, pay for each respective Ser∣vant in his Family 5 l. per Annum. And that every Person not having a Family, and worth the Sum of 2000 l. per Annum, as aforesaid, be obliged to pay 5 l. per Annum for 16 Servants certain. And because every one is obliged to pay for Sixteen at least, and some have a great many more, we may well compute Twenty, one with the other: Then the Accounts will be thus, | 800 | 16000 | 80000 | 00 | 00 |
| Secondly, That every Person worth 1000 l. per Ann. pay 4 l. for every Servant in his Family, and that all those which shall appear worth the Summ aforesaid, notwithstanding they have no Family or competent number of Servants, be oblig'd to pay 4 l. per Ann. and for 12 certain; and these accor∣ding to the former Medium, may be computed to keep 15 in general. | 2836 | 42540 | 170160 | 00 | 00 |
| Thirdly, That every Person which shall appear to be worth 500 l. per Ann. pay 3 l. 10 s. for each Servant, and that all such which shall appear worth the summ of 500 l. per Ann. and not having Fa∣milies, &c. as aforesaid, shall pay for 7 certain, and may be computed by the former Medium to keep 9 in General. | 6800 | 61200 | 214200 | 00 | 00 |
| Fourthly, That every Person who shall appear worth 250 l. per Annum, or upwards, pay 3 l. per Annum for each Servant in his Family. And also all Persons which shall appear worth 250 l. per An∣num, as aforesaid, notwithstanding they have no Families, shall be obliged to pay 3 l. per Annum for 4 Servants certain. And these, according to the former Medium, may be computed to keep 6 in general. | 29672 | 178032 | 534096 | 00 | 00 |
| Fifthly, That every Person worth 100 l. per Ann. or upwards, pay 2 l. 10 s. for each Servant, and that every Person worth the summ of 100 l. per Ann. as aforesaid pay 2 l. 10 s. for three Servants cer∣tain, and these according to the former Medium may be supposed to keep 5 in General. | 123976 | 619880 | 1549700 | 00 | 00 |
| Sixthly, That every Person worth 40 l. per Ann. and upwards, pay 2 l. for each Servant, and shall pay for 3 and no more. | 185522 | 556566 | 1113130 | 00 | 00 |
| Seventhly, That all Persons that shall appear to be worth 300 l. in the whole, shall pay 1 l. 10 s. for each Servant, and shall pay for 2 and no more. | 342054 | 684108 | 1026162 | 00 | 00 |
| Eighthly, That all Persons that shall appear to be worth 30 l. in the whole, shall pay 1 l. for one Servant only. | 508340 | 508340 | 508340 | 00 | 00 |
| 1200000 | 2666666 | ||||
| Ninthly, Admitting the Servants to be in Number 2666666, and allowing 1/7 part to receive 4 l. per Ann. and upwards, we may in common suppose them to receive 6 l. each, and then if every one which shall receive above 4 l. per Ann. pay 1 s. per pound, it will amount to | 114275 | 12 | 00 | ||
| Total | 5310063 | 12 | 00 |
And now as to our Calculation, we believe that that part of it which depends upon Rule, will appear very exact; but for the Numbers of People Masters and Servants which are purely conjectural, we cannot pretend to be particular in; we presume we are as near to the Mark as the Nature of the thing is capable of, and shall be ready to do our best to answer any Objection that shall be made upon that, or upon any other Account relating to this Matter.