The CASE of the Landlords of St. George's Parish in the burrow of Southwark, in the County of Surrey.  
AN Act passed in the Years 92 and 93, Granting to His Majesty an Aid of four Shillings in the Pound upon Lands, &c. by virtue of which the Parish of St. George did assess Three thousand seventy three Pounds sixteen Shillings and Six Pence: Since then the said Parish is abated in the value of the Rents almost one half; occasioned by a late Act of Parliament for regulating Abuses in Prisons and pretended privileged Places, as may appear by the Kings-Bench Prison; being in the above Years, ranted at fourteen hundred Pounds per Ann. which Sum the present Marshall in 1699,( by appeal upon Oath) abated to four hundred Pounds per Ann. the Rents of the Houses are fallen proportionably: Notwithstanding the Parish did raise, by virtue of an Act passed in 97 and 98, Granting to His Majesty an Aid of Fourteen hundred forty eight thousand and fifteen Pounds, fifteen Shillings and eleven pence three Farthings, to be raised upon Lands, &c. Two thousand three hundred and four Pounds, five Shillings and eight Pence Half-penny,( which Sum is the three fourths of what was assessed on the Parish in 92 and 93) to raise which the Landlords did pay Four Shillings and two pence in the Pound; and many Landlords having the Misfortune of some Houses empty, paid more to the Tax than half of what they received for Rent.  
And by another Act passed 98 and 99, Granting to His Majesty an Aid of fourteen hundred forty eight thousand and fifteen pounds, fifteen Shillings and eleven Pence three Farthings, to be raised upon Lands, &c.( and now collecting) the Proportion which the said Parish must raise is two thousand three hundred and four Pounds, five Shillings and eight Pence Half-penny; to raise which the Landlords must pay more than five Shillings in the Pound: and those that have many Houses, and some of them empty, will pay more than half their Rent, besides some of those that are inhabited; the Poverty of the Tenants is such, That the Collectors cannot find Goods sufficient to distrain for the Tax; which Truth( if needful) can be made evident by the Collectors and others.  

In the Year 93, the Collectors for the Parish for the Four Shilling Aid paid.  To the Receiver General in Money, the Sum of 2488 14 09 And returned by Certificate into the Exchequer 0553 12 06 Collectors Poundage 0031 09 03   3073 16 06  
So that the Parish have, and must pay in Money the three fourths of five hundred eighty five Pounds, one Shilling and nine Pence, which could not be collected in 93.  
In the Mint and Rules,( which is two thirds of the Parish), the Houses which in 93, let at 28 l. per Ann. are now in 99, let at 12 l. per Ann. others that went at lesser Rents are fallen in proportion; besides a great Number of Houses empty, as will appear by the Affidavits of the parishioners, if they may be permitted.  
In the Year 93, the Rents of the Parish amounted to ten thousand Pounds per Ann. and now in 99 not six thousand Pounds per Ann. and yet pay Taxes proportionable to ten thousand Pounds per Ann. so that the Case of this Parish is such, as a Man having in 93 two hundred Pounds per Ann. and in 98, one hundred Pounds per Ann. is lost by virtue of an Act of Parliament, and yet must pay Taxes to the King as if he had the two hundred Pounds per Ann.  
The Estates within the Mint, Rules, &c. are such as will be sold for Six and Eight Years purchase, and yet pay more than five Shillings in the Pound, when some other Estates worth two and twenty Years purchase, 'tis very probable pay not above twelve Pence in the Pound.  
'tis therefore Humbly prayed, That this HONOURABLE HOUSE, in their great Wisdom and Goodness,( the premises, considered) will relieve the Landlord for the future, from bearing so disproportionable a share of Taxes, as they shall see most reasonable, otherwise the Landlord must sink under so great a Burden.   

THE CASE OF St. George's Parish.