A PROPOSAL of a Plain and Ready way to raise a very great Sum of Monies, by a Tax, or Poll upon Quick Stock, which was never yet Charged nor Assessed.  
THIS present Parliament having, like Good Patriots, and Loyal Subjects, generally and unanimously declared, they are resolved to support His Majesty against his Enemies both at home and abroad, and effectually supply him to carry on the War against France with Vigour. Thinking of the many great Occasions, and extraordinary Necessity there will be for raising of moneys, and the difficulty of finding Ways, and Means to Effect it; And amongst other things, considering that all Quick Stock, namely, Cattle, Sheep, Horses, and Swine, have of late years sold at very good Rates, to the great advantage of Farmers, and all other Proprietors of them; and in all probability like to continue so as long as the War lasts; it being the occasion of the extraordinary Consumption, and Use of those Goods, more Meat being spent in Victualling the Fleets, and more Horses employed in the Army. Therefore, with all humble submission to the Great Wisdom and Understanding of the Honourable House of Commons, I here propose a Tax upon Quick Stock, being never charged before; altho' perhaps it may be objected, and said, that Quick Stock is the Product of the Land, and to lay a Tax upon that, is to lay a heavier burden upon Land; but to solve that is answered, That as all good and kind Landlords pay, and bear all, or the greatest part of the Land-Tax of 4 shillings per Pound, so it is proposed that the Tenants, and Proprietors bear all the Tax of the Quick Stock; And than altho' the Load be heavier, there will be more hands to support and bear it; and if a Weight be increased, as long as there are more Bearers, it will be carried with the same ease as it was before when lighter, and had fewer supporters; And there being also a great quantity of moneys employed, and got by the Quick Stock as well as the dead Trading Stock; It is presumed, with humble submission, that the one is no more an Excise than the other, and that it is not unreasonable that one should be Taxed as well as the other; especailly at this juncture of time when there are so many great occasions for raising of Monies. And as the last Parliament gave an instance for Taxing dead Trading Stock, so I most humbly refer it to the Great Wisdom and Consideration of the present Parliament for the Taxing of the Quick Stock; which, as hereafter proportioned, cannot be thought a grievous, or heavy Tax, being but about the sixtieth penny of every Man's Quick Stock; and yet if duly Assessed, and Collected, may, it's presumed, raise in one year more than three times the sum the Chimney Money did; and if approved of, may be continued one year or more, as the Parliament in their Great Wisdom shall think requisite, and necessary, and may serve for a Fund for the making good, and Recoining the Clipped and Corrupt moneys of the Nation, or for any other supply; And what thinking and unprejudiced Man, where there is an absolute necessity, would not willingly, without grumbling, part with a Penny out of five Shillings towards redressing so great a grievance as the Clipped and Corrupt Monies is, and to secure Religion, and Property.  

The Method and Rates of this Tax proposed to be laid upon Quick Stock, viz. Cattle, Sheep, Horses, and Swine, are as followeth;  
FIRST, For Cattle, being in all Counties some good, and some indifferent, it is proposed to Tax them in all Counties alike, viz. A Calf under a year old, a penny; A year old two pence; A young Beast two years old, four pence; A young Beast three years old eight pence; And at four years old (being then partly come to their full growth) or upward, twelve pence.  
Next for Sheep, there being a difference in their Breed; in some Countries the generality of them being not worth one with another above 4 s. or 5 s. a piece; and in other Countries the generality of them being worth 9 s. or 10 s. a piece one with another: It is therefore proposed to Tax them differently: And in those places where the generality of them are worth but 4 s. or 5 s. a piece, to Tax every Sheep at 3 Farthings per Annum; and where they are generally worth 9 s. or 10 s. a piece, to Tax them at 3 Half pence a Sheep; and all to be reckoned Sheep, excepting Lambs under 6 Months old.  
For Horses, they being in all Countries as Cattle are, some good, and some indifferent, it is proposed to Tax them alike in all Counties, viz. A Foal under a Year old 3 Halfpences per Annum, a Year old 3 d. a two Year old 6 d. a three Year old 9 d. a four Year old 12 d. and at five Years old (being then near their full growth) 15 d. And for every Stone-Horse, Gelding, or Mare of that Age, or more, being worth 10 l. to be Taxed 2 s. 6 d. and for the more equality of the Thing, if worth 15 l. then to be Taxed 3 s. 9 d. and if worth 20 l. to be Taxed 5 s. but to Rate none higher, because a Horse that is really worth 20 l. is as useful, and good for Service, as one that may be valued to three times that Price: And none to be free, or exempted, but Military Officers and Soldiers Horses, that are actually in His Majesty's present Pay and Service.  
And lastly, For Swine in all Countries, to Tax and Assess every One that is worth Five Shillings, a Penny; if worth Ten Shillings, 2 d. if worth 15 s. then 3 d. and so on to the utmost value: But none to be rated but such as are worth 5 s. a piece.  
Having thus set down the several Rates proposed to Tax the Quick Stock at, I now come to propose a way for the exact Assessing and Managing this Tax, and to make it plain and easy, without Rigour or Partiality: In the first place it is proposed, That there be two Assessors chosen in every Parish, on more, where it is large and requires it, that are conscientious and understanding Men, who are to be sworn to do Justice to the best of their Judgement and Knowledge, in taking an exact Account of every Man's Quick Stock aforesaid, and in valuing and assessing the same according to the forementioned Rates, and to make true Duplicates thereof in the Form hereafter shown; whereof one to be given to the Collectors of the Parish, to gather the said Tax by; and another to the general Receiver of the County, that he may understand what is due from every Parish. And for the receiving and collecting of the said Tax, the Collectors of the Land-Tax in every Parish, and the general Receiver of that Assessment in the County may serve, having the same Allowance per Pound for the receiving of this as is allowed for the Land-Tax; and so it will come readily, and at an easy Charge, into His Majesty's Exchequer.  
For the commencing of this Tax, it is proposed to be from Lady-Day, 1697. for the Year 1697. And for the time of assessing and making this Tax, it is proposed to be betwixt Lady-Day and Mayday; and so by that time if may be exactly known what it will amount to.  
The Days of Payment to be as the Land-Tax are.  
And, to prevent Disputes and Evasions, it is further proposed, That every Person and Proprietor shall be assessed for all the Quick Stock aforesaid, which shall be found in his possession at the time of Assessing, whether bred, bought, or sold, that he may not pretend they are not his own, and so not to be Taxed for them.  
And if any Person shall conceal, or deny to give a just and true Account of his Quick Stock (which is not easy to be done, because every Man's Quick Stock is visible, and known to his Neighbours) all such Cattle, Sheep, Horses, and Swine, so concealed, or denied, to be forfeited, and one Moiety of the value thereof to go to the Discoverer, and the other to the King, and added to the Duplicate: Or any other Penalty, which the Parliament in their great Wisdom shall think more proper and expedient.  
Note, That this Tax, if rightly considered, cannot be said to affect the Poor, or oppress the Rich, for the Poor having no Quick Stock, are not Chargeable, and those that have, pay but proportionable for what they have, at easy, and moderate Rates; but about the Sixtieth Penny, as aforesaid, and so cannot be thought to be an Oppression, especially when there is an absolute necessity to raise moneys, and, perhaps, no way to be found out that will be more effectual, and more reasonable, and moderate, and give less Offence and Disturbance to the People than this; for, here are no Officers to Insult, or Impose, but such as every Parish chooses itself, and those such as are alike concerned: Nor can it be said to lie heavy upon the Bearers, when it is also considered, that the Tenants and Farmers, (being the generality of the Proprietors of the Quick Stock) have had very good Times, by the well selling of their Commodity, and, in a manner, paid little or nothing towards Carrying on the War; and there being many extraordinary, and pressing occasions for Monies, which must be supplied, and that this Proposal will effectually raise a very considerable Sum, and be readily, and easily managed, It is therefore humbly presumed, it is better to do it such a way, than to clog people's Purses and Patience with linger Payments for many years; for, as in desperate Distempers, a sharp Remedy, that will effect the Cure, is better bore, and taken by a Patient, than a tedious Course of Physic, which requires many small, and troublesome Medicines, of which he sees no end and may, perhaps, be overtaken with another Illness, before he is recovered of that which at present he languishes under. But besides all; This Tax carries no weight, nor force, either to hurt the Buyer, or Seller, for it is but about a Penny in 5 s. which, in any Commodity of that value, is but an inconsiderable share, and altars it but little in its Rate or Price, and so cannot be thought any sensible prejudice to the Poor, in making any thing dearer they are to buy.  

An Example for the Form of the Assessment or Duplicate.  A. B. Quick Stock. l. s. d. 4 Calves, under a Year old, at a Penny apiece 0 00 4 4 Year old Calves, at 2 d. apiece 0 00 8 6 two Year old, at 4 d. apiece 0 02 0 7 three Years old, at 8 d. apiece 0 04 8 6 four Year old, at 12 d. a piece 0 06 0 Sheep 100, at 3 Farthings apiece 0 06 3 2 Foals under a Year old, at 3 Halfpences apiece 0 00 3 3 of One Year old, at 3 d. apiece 0 00 9 2 of two Years old, at 6 d. apiece 0 01 0 3 of three Years old, at 9 d. apiece 0 02 3 2 of four Years old, at 12 d. apiece 0 02 0 2 young Horses of five Years old, at 15 d. apiece 0 02 6 And one of five Years old, worth 10 l. 0 02 6 In all 1 12 1  
F. G. Quick Stock.    6 Cows at 12 d. apiece 0 06 0 8 Oxen at 12 d. apiece 0 08 0 200 Sheep at 3 Farthings apiece 0 12 6 2 Horses, 5 Years old, at 15 d. apiece 0 02 6 6 Swine worth 20 s. apiece 0 02 0 In all 1 10 0  
T. S. Quick Stock.    4 Cows at 12 d. apiece 0 04 0 5 young Beasts, 3 Years old, at 8 d. apiece 0 03 4 50 Sheep worth 9 s. or 10 s. apiece, at 3 Halfpences each 0 06 3 2 Horses, 5 Years old, at 15 d. apiece 0 02 6 2 young Horses, two Years old, at 6 d. apiece 0 01 0 3 Swine worth 15 s. apiece 0 00 9 In all 0 17 10  
And so on.  
W. P.