REASONS To Augment the Number of Hackney Coaches, Within the BILLS OF MORTALITY, FROM Four Hundred to Six or Eight Hundred: Most humbly tendered to The CONSIDERATION of BOTH Houses of Parliament.  
THAT if Four Hundred Hackney Coaches were a fit Number, when the Statute was made, then Six Hundred at least will be now required. For the vast increase of Building since 1662, is obvious to every Eye, and that the Inhabitants are ptoportionably increased, appears by the Bills of Mortality, being now a Third more than in 1662.  
2. THAT it is most certain that Eight Hundred under due Regulation, as to Method, Order, and Station, which never yet was done, would less incommode the Town, than Four Hundred left to themselves.  
3. THAT whereas it is pretended there are but One hundred and thirty besides the Four H●●dred that now drive, and that the Streets are so crowded, 〈…〉 Nobility and Gentry can scarce pass. The truth is, that there 〈…〉 within the Bills of Mortality above a Thousand Hackney Coaches in constant Employ, as is ready to be made appear.  
4. THAT from that Extravagant Number, under no Rules of Order, the Ways are indeed pestered, and the Freedom of Passage and Intercourse much obstructed.  
5. THAT these very Persons, who fear to be ruined if Six or Eight Hundred be allowed, do now keep on Foot the said exorbitant Number of Hackney Coaches, many of them having Three, Four, Five, or Six Coaches a-piece.  
6. THAT the said Persons since the Act expired, have by Combination, and by Bribes, and Corruption in the last Reign; under Pretence of those Licences, that indeed expired with the Act, kept up a sort of Monopoly of Hackney Coaches, excluding all but themselves( tho all when the Act expired, had equal Right) forcing them to desist by Unjust and Vexatious Suits; which the Poverty of those they oppressed could not oppose.  
7. THAT it is most plain, that the formerly licenced Four Hundred have regard not to the public Convenience, but their Private Gain; by this Endeavour of theirs to continue a Monopoly to themselves only, though too few to serve; and exclude a moderate Number of others, when all might live by it, and the public be better served.  
8. THAT many, if not most of the formerly licenced Four Hundred are not Driving Coach-Men, but such as let out their Licences at great Extortion to Poor Men, themselves not keeping either Coach or Horse.  
9. THAT there are, beside the formerly licenced, Three or Four Hundred Ancient Driving Hackney Coach-men about the Town, Men fitly qualified for that Employment, as having used it, some Forty, some Fifty Years, most of them Twenty and Thirty Years, and scarce fit for other Business; who with their Families may probably fall to the Parish, if not let in by an Act, enlarging the Number of Hackney Coaches.  
10. THAT since Rules and Orders prescribed to Coaches, may easily prevent Quarrels and Stops, and since the enlargement of the Town, and increase of the Inhabitants, require for public Convenience, a greater Number of such Coaches; since there are Two Hundred Persons fitly qualified, whom it is great Charity to admit; and since there is nothing opposed to all these just Motives and Inducements for an Augmentation of the Number of Hackney Coaches by Act of Parliament, except only a few specious Pretences, colouring( in Prejudice of the public Benefit) the Private Interest of the formerly licenced Four Hundred, who it is well known were not able to supply those vast multitudes of People inhabiting in and about the Town after the Restraint made in the late Reign by the Popish Commission, as may appear by the many Complaints then made. It is therefore most humbly hoped and prayed, That the Parliament will increase the Number of Hackney Coaches, to Six or Eight Hundred.  
All which is most humbly submitted to the Wisdom and Justice of the PARLIAMENT.