To the Honourable the House of Commons, By E. Owen, P. Soon, and G. Kellett, Gent. Proposals, humbly offered, for Raising One Million two Hundred Thousand Pounds in six Months: And also three Hundred and fifty Thousand Pounds per Ann. Two Hundred and fifty Thousand Pounds per Ann. whereof, to be applied as thought convenient, By Passing an Act for the Rebuilding of all Houses consumed by Fire, being 〈◊〉 the Public Good, present Supply of the Government, and Ad●…age of every Contributor.  
1. THat every House advance the immediate Payment, according to the following Table, and proportionably for a greater Rent, not exceeding the Rent of sixty Pounds, tho' the Houses are of a much greater Rent, which will raise the One Million two Hundred Thousand Pounds within the six Months proposed.  
2. That, of the yearly Payment of four Pence per Pound, payable according to the Table, not exceeding the yearly Rent of 60 l. 〈…〉 proposed, there be kept a separate and distinct Account, one Moiety thereof to be applied as thought sit, the other Moiety to be preserved as a distinct and separate Fund, to answer the general Charge of the Sums to be returned according to the Table, for and towards making Good the contingent Losses by Fire and Charge of Collecting.  

The TABLE.  P●… per Annum. Immediate Payments. Yearly Payments. Sums to be returned.  l.  l. s. d.  l. s. d.  l.  1  0 2 0  0 0 4  10  2  0 4 0  0 0 8  20  3  0 6 0  0 1 0  30  4  0 8 0  0 1 4  40  5  0 10 0  0 1 8  50  6  0 12 0  0 2 0  60  7  0 14 0  0 2 4  70  8  0 16 0  0 2 8  80  9  0 18 0  0 3 0  90  10  1 00 0  0 3 4  100 60 6-0-0 100L 600  
In Case of great Conflagrations amounting to a greater Sum than the Fund set apart for the Purposes aforesaid, the Deficiences to be made good by the next succeeding Session of Parliament.  
And it is humbly hoped, that these Proposals will make good the Sums hereby intended, it being computed, that there is in England, according to a moderate Estimate, One Million two Hundred thousand Houses and upwards, including Chambers in Colleges and Halls in both Universities, Inns of Court, and Chancery, Doctors-Commons, Halls, and public Buildings, valuing one with another at 10 l. per Annum Rent, will raise the immediate One Million two Hundred Thousand Pounds, for the present Supply: and also the yearly Payment of two Hundred Thousand Pounds to be applied as above.  
If this Honourable House, in their Wisdom, think fit to Pass this into an Act, the following Method is humbly Presented for Collecting the same, and preventing Frauds and Mistakes therein.  
That the Churchwardens and Overseers of their respective Parishes, who are to Receive and Collect the immediate and yearly Payment, have Books containing a sufficient Number of Sheets to be divided into Coloums, after the manner following:  
On the Side of Street in the Parish of in the of Houses. Nᵒ Landlords Names. Tenant's Names. Rend p●r Ann. Immediate Payment. Yearly Payment. Sums 〈◊〉 returned. Returned for Nonpayment. New Inhabitants.     l. l. s. d. l. s. d. l.    1 A. B. C. D. 1 0 2 0 0 0 4 10    2   2 0 4 0 0 0 8 20    3   3 0 6 0 0 1 0 30    4   4 0 8 0 0 1 4 40    5   5 0 10 0 0 1 8 50    6   6 0 12 0 0 2 0 60    7   7 0 14 0 0 2 4 70    8   8 0 16 0 0 2 8 80    9   9 0 18 0 0 3 0 90    10   10 1 0 0 0 3 4 100    &c.   60-600 6- 00- 1- 00- 600    
By Us, 

A. B.  
C. D.   Churchwardens, Overseers.  
The Oath taken Before Us, 〈◊〉 to the Act. Justices.  
That two Books for every Parish be filled up, Examined, Signed and Compared by the Churchwardens and Overseers thereof, and an Oath taken before a Justice of the Peace of such County, and Signed by Two, that it is a true Estimate, according to the best of their Knowledge; one Book to be immediately sent up to an Office, with proper Officers, to be Erected for that Purpose; the other to be their Warrant, to Receive and Collect the same and then to be returned with the Money into the Exchequer, and brought to the aforementioned Office, there to be compared with their Counterparts, and an Account to be fairly written in Books, and Stated by Substracting the Returns from the Money received: And from the old Books, new Ones to be every Year made and sent to the several Parishes, with such Alterations as are returned by such Office.  
The Act to contain such Penalties, Forfeitures and Prouisoes, as the Nature of the Thing requires, and to consider of, and provide for the several Terms, Interests, and Estates of the Persons concerned; is left to this Honourable House: And also, as to Houses already Insured.  
If this Honourable House are pleased to think it worth their further Consideration, a Proposal for making good Losses of Ships in their respective Voyages, upon your favourable Encouragement, will be also Presented; whereby Frauds by common Assurers will be prevented; a great yearly Sum raised for the Public Advantage.  
Reasons humbly offered for Passing this into an Act.  
THat the Nation being very much Indebted, whereby there is a Necessity of raising great Sums for an immediate Supply, towards discharging the Arrears due to the Army and Fleet, and the Debts contracted by the late War, which can not otherwise be done, than by great Taxes to be laid upon the Subject; It is humbly conceived, none can be Proposed, whereunto the Subjects will more readily and cheerfully Contribute, or whereby they will receive so great Benefit and Advantage.  
1. For that what they pay hereupon, they will proportionably save, out of what must have been otherwise raised.  
2. They will hereby receive a present Recompense, by raising the Value of Houses, at least ten Pounds per Cent. and making their Estates more certain, and a better Security to Ground-Jointures, Settlements and Mortgages upon.  
3. This Method is already put in Practice by a great number of wise and prudent Men, for the Preservation of themselves and Families, by private Agreements for mutual Contributions, and is also the Desire of most Corporations in England, to be established by Authority of Parliament, under a National Fund and Credit.  
4. Hereby will be no Occasion for Briefs and other charitable Collections, whereby great Sums are yearly drained out of the Subject's Pockets, and the Frauds and Misapplications of the Subjects Charity prevented, and places the Receiver above the Notion of taking Alms, inducing them to respect the Government as the Fountain of the Public Good.  
5. Will be the Support of thousands of Families, and thereby in great Measure prevent the Increase of the Poor, and supply them with a Foundation for future Industry.  
6. Is no ways Oppressive to the Poor who cannot be possessed of any Estate in Houses.  
7. As private Persons for private Interests have erected particular Offices for this Purpose, which have been very acceptable and well thought on by the more intelligent Part of Mankind. Therefore so noble and generous a Design as extends itself to the Preservation, Relief, and Benefit of Cities, Towns, and Countries; and the Whole in general, will, ('tis not questioned,) merit the intense Consideration of, and Encouragement by this House, and meet with grateful Acceptance by the Public.  
It is further Proposed, to make good the other One Hundred and fifty thousand Pounds per Ann. by  
1. A double Rate or Charge upon Post-Letters in general, which will be but the same Charge to the Government in Collecting as at present, and bring in the clear yearly Sum of One hundred thousand Pound per Ann. and upwards; due Care being taken to prevent Coachmen, Carriers and others, from conveying Letters.  
2. Every Person to pay one Shilling per Pound, out of such Sum he shall receive with every Clerk, Apprentice or Servant, such Clerk, Apprentice or Servant, not to be a●… to practise or exercise his Trade, (unless the said Sum or Duty be duly paid) the Master who receives, and Parent, Guardian or Friend who pays the same, to forfeit triple the Sum, in case the same be not duly answered, which computing, that there be Five hundred Thousand put out in three Years, at ten Pounds one with another, will raise Eighty ●housand Pounds per Ann. and upward.  
These Proposals it is humbly hoped, will meet with the favourable Acceptance of this Honourable House, as being Intended for the Service of the Government, the Ease of the Subject, and the Public Good, and these Proposers meet with a suitable Encouragement.   

Printed by W. Onley, near Symond's Inn in Chancery-lane, 1699.