A PROPOSAL Humbly offer'd to the Honourable House of Commons; For an Additional Tax to be paid upon Regulating and Licensing Pawn-Brokers; and all manner of Persons driving Trades or Occupations, that have not served Apprentiships,See 14. Eliz. 5th. or be not free of some City or Town Corporate.
Testimonials also for Servants,Nigh 1000 Bayliffs and Followers depend on the Knt. Marshals Court. Bayliffs, Serjeants, Apparetors and their Followers, and Retaylers of all manner
of Liquors (except Wine) to be Licensed by the Justices of Peace, as Retaylers of
Wine are Licensed by Commissioners: And for the due answering the same, as well as
the Duties upon Pedlers, &c. 'twill be without any Charge to His Majesty, and with little trouble to the Persons
Licensed.
THat Blank Licenses may be dispersed by the Proposer, in Parchment, Vellum or Paper unstamp'd, throughout the Kingdom, and a Receipt thereon, to be Sold at two Pence Price, for each License with the Receipt.
Thus an equal and more profit will be to the Clerks, than Ale-House Licences are now.That the Persons to be Licensed, may bring one of the said Licenses to some Justice of Peace, whose Clark may have three Pence for filling up the same.
That the same Licenses as filled up, may be carried to some of His Majesties CollectorsThey come to every Market-Town each Month. of His Duty of Excise, and upon paying the Duty to him, he may subscribe his Name to the Receipt, and put some Stamp upon it, to be Felony to counterseit: And may without a Stamp appoint a Deputy.
That the License so stamped, may be Registred by the Minister or Clerk of some Parish, who may Stamp the same, to shew it is Registred, and the Constable and Church-Wardens may transmit true Copies of the Registries, into the Exchequer, to be a Controll upon the Receivers or Collectors, to prevent fraud.
Apprentices above 16, to have their Indentures stamped, and they as well as the licensed, to seize those who wander with out License.That all Servants whenthey depart from their Masters, Mistresles or Dames may have a Testimonial, under the hand of the Master, Mistress or Dame, of such Servants faithful and good Service and Deportment, to be Registred in the Parish, where the Master, Mistress or Dame reside or dwell; and a Duty of two Pence or more for each Testimonial, may be paid to some of the Collectors of the Excise of his Majesty, and true Capies of the Registry of such Testimonials, may be transmitted into the Exchequer, as aforesaid, to be a Check and Controll upon the Collectors: And whoever entertains any one to be his or her Servant without such Testimonial, may be without Remedy, in case of Damage done by any Servant so entertained.
The Proposer hath a Draught framed of a License and of an Acquittance, and a Model of a Stamp can procure, which cannot easily be counterfeited.
That no one out of Fair or Market, Buy Goods but of whom they know, or some one to Vouch; Nor Pawns for Reckonings of Strangers, without some Parish Officer be present, to prevent the Receiving or Buying stolen Goods.
These Proposals by modest computation would raise 300000 l. per Annum, and hurt no body; for in each Parish there is a petty Chandlers Tippling Brandy-Shop, 600 in the late Reign were survey'd in one great Parish, and were to have such Pedlers Licenses Arbitrarly; one of which may be produc'd, if desir'd.