A PROPOSAL To the HONOURABLE House of Commons, For Raising above Half a Million of Money per Annum, For the Service of the GOVERNMENT, With great Ease to the Subject, BY A TAX UPON SIGNS.  
LONDON: Printed for the AUTHOR. 1695/6.   

A PROPOSAL FOR A TAX UPON SIGNS, etc.  
THAT all Taverns, Inns,— Ordinaries, Victualling-Houses, Coffeehouses, Cooks-Shops, and other Houses of Public Entertainment: As also, all Traders or Shopkeepers, in His Majesty's Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, shall for One Year (or for as many as this Honourable House thinks fit) pay respectively such a TAX, as followeth.  
Imprimis. That all Taverns, Inns, and Ordinaries, (in regard of the great Estates that are suddenly got by some that keep them) a Tax to be laid upon the Master or Mistress thereof, throughout the Cities of London and Westminster, for their Sign, One Pound per Annum.,  
Secondly, That all Taverns and Inns in all the Roads in England, Wales, and Berwick upon Tweed, (except those that Quarter Soldiers, to pay only for the time they are freed from them) especially where Stage-Coaches come to; and all Noted Houses where Gentlemen-Travellers commonly Resort for best Entertainment, but very frequently are unconscionably exacted on, Pay One Pound per Annum.  
Thirdly, That all Taverns and Inns, in all Cities, Towns, and Villages, Pay Fifteen Shillings per Annum.  
Fourthly, That all Victualling-Houses, Coffeehouses, Cook-Shops, and other Houses of Public Entertainment, within the Cities of London and Westminster, Pay Ten Shillings per Annum.  
Fifthly, That all Taverns and Inns in the Suburbs of London, Pay Fifteen Shillings per Annum.  
Sixthly, That all Victualling-Houses, Coffeehouses, Cook-Shops, and other Houses of Public Entertainment in the Suburbs, pay for their Sign, Eight Shillings per Annum.,  
Next, That a Tax be laid upon all Traders or Shopkeepers in His Majesty's Kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, for their Signs, viz.  
First, That every Merchant, Goldsmith, Mercer, Grocer, Apothecary, Drugster, woollen Draper, Linen-draper, and other of the chiefest Traders or Shopkeepers in London, Westminster, and Suburbs, pay for their Sign, One Pound per Annum.,  
Secondly, That upon all the Signs, of what Trade soever, in Westminster-Hall, and within both the Old and New-Exchanges, and others within the City, there be laid a Tax of Ten Shillings per Annum.  
Thirdly, That all Handicraft Trades, and those of an inferior Occupation, within London, Westminster, and Suburbs, Pay Five Shillings per Annum.  
Fourthly, That all Traders or Shopkeepers whatsoever throughout all Cities and Towns in England, Wales, and Berwick upon Tweed, (except London and Westminster,) Pay for their Sign, Five Shillings per Annum.,  
Fifthly, That all Shopkeepers throughout all Villages, Pay Two Shillings  per Annum.  
Or to be laid thus,  
By reason it is too tedious to Enumerate the Trades of all Shopkeepers throughout City and Country, and so Tax every Man according to the Quality and Inequality of his Trade; which besides might breed a dispute, That one Trade, though inseriour to another, bears as great or larger Product at the Years end, and so is liable to pay more or equal. It is therefore humbly conceived, (to prevent that Cavil) that instead of Taxing every particular Trade, according to the Merit of it, Every Tradesman or Shopkeeper to be Taxed for his Sign according to the Annual Rent he pays for his House and Shop, or Shop alone, viz.  
First, That every Tradesman or Shopkeeper throughout London and Westminster, that pays an Annual Rent of Forty Pound a Year or upwards for his House and Shop, to pay for his Sign, One Pound per Annum.,  
Secondly, That every Tradesman or Shopkeeper, that pays an Annual Rent of Thirty Pound, to Pay Fifteen Shillings per Annum.  
Thirdly, That all who pay an Annual Rent of Twenty Pounds, to pay Ten Shillings per Annum, and so downwards proportionably, and for any Rent betwixt those Nominated.  
Fourthly, That every Tradesman or Shopkeeper, throughout England, Wales, and Berwick upon Tweed, that pays an Annual Rent of Ten Pounds, or upwards, to Pay Five Shillings per Annum.  
Fifthly, That all who pay an Annual Rent of Five Pounds, to pay Two Shillings  per Annum, and so proportionably for a greater or lesser Rent.  
Now, in regard there are many great Traders and Dealers in the Country, as well as in the City, who have no Signs, (but especially the former) nor Shops, but Warehouses only, its requisite, lest any Objection should arise, that they pay according to the Rate of the Tax laid upon those who have Shops and Signs.  
And further, That in case this Honourable House shall think fit to lay this Tax, it is probable, that some Persons, thinking to avoid Paying, will pull down their Signs; which if it should so happen, and true Information given thereof to such Officer or Officers as shall be appointed to inspect the Annual Rent of such Houses and Shops, as are within their respective Precincts, such Person or Persons to pay double the Tax laid on them; or otherwise, to pay the same Rate (after such Discovery) with those that have Signs, as aforesaid.  
And by reason His Majesty's extraordinary Occasions require a speedy supply, if this Honourable House shall think fit, The Tax laid upon Taverns, Inns, etc. may be gathered Quarterly by the Officers of the Excise, and managed by the Commissioners, without any Charge to the King: And other Officers appointed in every City and chief Town, to receive the Tax laid upon Tradesmen or Shopkeepers, which in one Year, will bring in above half a Million of Money per Annum to His Majesty, and may, for the future, disburden the Land Tax. And as it will in a manner be insensibly felt by those its laid upon, so it may be continued as long as is needful, for supplying what is Deficient in carrying on the War against France.  
All which is most humbly submitted to, By J. W.   

By the Books of the Hearth-Money it appears there were Thirteen Hundred Thousand Houses.  
By Increase of Buildings since, above Two Hundred Thousand Houses more.  
In all 1500000 Houses.  
Computing then Two Thirds of that Sum Publick-Houses, Shopkeepers, and Traders, at Ten Shillings a Sign per Annum, one with another, subject to this Payment, will Raise, by a modest Computation, above Half a Million per Annum.   

☞ NOTE, That if it should be Objected, That a TAX is lately charged upon Houses for their Windows, and so may be thought too severe to lay a double TAX on them for their SIGNS: It is humbly Answered, That what hath been Proposed, is not intended for a further Tax upon Houses, but by taking an Account of the Annual Rent that is paid for them, a better Estimate may be given of the Value of that Trade: For it's to be supposed, by how much the more Rent they sit at, the greater the quality and income of the Trade must be: So that the Trading Shop keeper, for the Sign he puts forth, is chief meant by what is here Offered.