OBJECTIONS AGAINST Edmund Hemmings Proposals  
(Now lying before this Honourable House, for Eight Millions of Money, by laying a Duty on BEDS) Answered, with some REMARKS.  
OBjection, That there are not Five Beds to a House one with another, and therefore the Calculation must fall short.  
Answered, That Five Beds to each House, one with another, is as near a Calculation as can be made, without positive proof; and there being allowod in the said Proposals above one third part of the Kingdom to pay nothing (as being deemed poor) then computing the remaining 800000 Houses mentioned in the said Proposals, which are more large. Now, if some of them have but 2, 3, or 4 Beds to a House, yet it must be granted, that abundance have 6, 8, 10, 15, 20, or more, so there can be no great mistake in the Calculation.  
Object. That this Duty will fall heavy upon those Persons that depend upon Lodgers, and they ought to be excused as well as Innkeepers (which are proposed to pay no more for their Beds then what their Family use.  
Answ. Were all private Houses as liable to quarter Soldiers as Inns, it might be reasonable; but having Power to accept or refuse what Lodgers they please, there is more reason they should pay; because they receive profit by their Beds, when others that must pay make no benefit by Lodgings.  
Object. This Duty will fall hard upon Day-Labourers, that have a great charge of Children, and consequently many Beds.  
Answ. This is a material Objection, and easily answered, for this Honourable House may except those Persons, or charge them as they shall see sit.  
Object. That to take the Number of Beds in the Kingdom, will occasion Officers to come into People's Houses, which cannot be endured.  
Answ. It is not intended, but the Master or Mistress of the House, to give in their own account of their Beds, to such Officers that will come to their doors for that purpose: And if any such Person give in a false Account, then to forfeit— for each Bed concealed; whereby it may be supposed, no Person will bazard the forfeiture of— for wronging the King of Seven or Eight Shillings.  

REMARKS.  
This Duty may be supposed to reach the Abilities of Men, and may be charged according to Quality; and so make it a more equal Tax then any heretofore has been.  
This Duty must be allowed to be as good and certain a Fond as can be found out, being the most general and necessary Commodity in England, for no Man but would lie upon a Bed or Quilt at Night; and it cannot be supposed, that any Person would lie without it, on purpose to defraud the King of the Duty.  
It is Humbly Conceived, That this Duty will amount to so great a Sum that the Land might be excused this Year; but if it be thought necessary not wholly to depend upon this, by reason it may be uncertain, then if 〈◊〉 the Land pay 2 s. in the pound, (which would make one Million) the Beds would make Six millions more, allowing Two Millions to fall short in the Calculation.  
This Duty, and that upon Land, may be Collected by 〈◊〉 the same Officers, but to lay several Duties upon several Commodities, which necessarily must be if this be not accepted, will create a great Number of Officers, and put the Kingdom to a vast Expense in Collecting, besides subject to many Frauds.