Further REASONS against increasing the number of Hackney-Coaches.  
September 1687. THat the Grand Jury of Middlesex presented to the Court of Kings-Bench, then sitting at Westminster, That 400 Hackney-Coaches Driving for Hire about the Cities of London and Westminster and Precincts aforesaid, were sufficient to answer the Subject's Occasions, and that all Supernumeraries are a Common Nuisance; Also a great number of Shopkeepers then by their Petition shown, how great an Annoyance and a Grievance the same was to them.  
The Lords Commissioners of the Treasury to find out the number of Coaches so much than Complained of, did order three Persons to take an Account what number of Hackney-Coaches were then in London, Westminster and Bills of Mortality, and it appeared by the Return by them Sworn to before a Master in Chancery, that the Number was 626.  
In May 1688. Upon further Complaint thereof, the said Lords of the Treasury ordered a View to be taken by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of each Parish within the Places aforesaid, and by the Return by them, made the number appeared to be about 600, and were then by the late King James reduced to 400.  
That in April 1679, a Certificate by the Jury of Nuisances and Annoyances for the Liberties of Westminster to this Honourable House, and exhibited before the Committee, that the great number of Hackney Coaches were insufferable Grievances within their Liberties.  
And there was also then another Certificate from the Juries of Nuisances of the Duchy of Lancaster to the same purpose.  
The 2d of May 1689. It was suggested to a Committee appointed touching the Regulating of Hackney-Coaches, by one of the Interlopers, that about 1000, and by another on their behalf, that about 1200 Hackney-Coaches now Ply, which induced the Committee to Report 600 the Number hereafter to be Licenced, and that each should pay 1 l. 13 s. 4 d. per Annum more than formerly for Rent.  
But since that time there hath been at the Charge of the 400 an Account taken by Indifferent Persons of the number of Hackney-Coaches that now are in London, Westminster, and within the Weekly Bills of Mortality, and by their Affidavits made before a Master in Chancery, it appeareth, that the Information given about the number of Coaches to the said Committee was not true, and that though the Interlopers have lately Plied with many more Coaches than they did formerly, yet the number of Hackney-Coaches now within all the Places aforesaid is but 720, possessed and kept but by 464 Persons, and about 100 of the said 720 lie still or are in the Country upon Journeys and Funerals, so that the Streets will notwithstanding this Act if it passes, be near as much crowded and pestered with Hackney-Coaches as before, and the poor Hackney-Coachmen will be undone, unless it be now prevented by Reducing them to much less number than 600, and their Rent to less Sum than 6 l. 13 s. 4 d. per Annum.  
Note. That by Reason of the daily increase of Gentlemen and Tradesmens Coaches, and the Convenience of Trade, as Carts, Cars, and Drayes which help to stop up the Streets, and cannot be restrained, (in a few years the passages of the Streets in the Centre of Business in the whole Town, being the places mentioned in the Petition of the Inhabitants) which Streets cannot be made wider, but must continue the same, will be wholly stopped up, if not now prevented by reducing and taking off a considerable number of the 600 Coaches Reported.  
Besides, if so many be now Licenced, when you find the Inconvenience to be greater than now it is, it will be a hard thing to restrain, having once given them a Trade, to take it away.  
FINIS.  
Further Reasons against increasing the number of Hackney-Coaches.