第 6 节
作者:
两块 更新:2021-02-21 10:51 字数:9321
s whereof the Rack…rent would be two Millions; viz。 about four Millions of Acres; which is about a sixth part of the whole; making the said four Millions to be Crown Lands; and as the four Counties intended to be reserved in Ireland upon the forfeitures were。 Or else to excize a sixth part of the rent of the whole; which is about the proportion; that the Adventurers and Souldiers in Ireland retribute to the King; as Quit Rents。 Of which two wayes; the latter is manifestly the better; the King having more security; and more obliges; provided the troubl and charge of this universal Collection; exceed not that of the other advantage considerably。 4。 This way in a new State would be good; being agreed upon; as it was in Ireland; before men had even the possession of any Land at all; wherefore whosoever buyes Land in Ireland hereafter; is no more concerned with the Quit Rents wherewith they are charged; then if the Acres were so much the fewer; or then men are; who buy Land; out of which they know Tythes are to be paid。 And truly that Countrey is happy; in which by Original Accord; such a Rent is reserved; as whereby the Publick charge may be born; without contingent; sudden; superadditions; in which lies the very Ratio of the burthen of all Contributions and Exactions。 For in such cases; as was said before; it is not onely the Landlord payes; but every man who eats but an Egg; or an Onion of the growth of his Lands; or who useth the help of any Artisan; which feedeth on the same。 5。 But if the same wer propounded in England; biz。 if an aliquot part of every Landlords Rent were excinded or retrenched; then those whose Rents were settled; and determined for long times to come; would chiefly bear the burthen of such an Imposition; and others have a benefit thereby。 For suppose A; and B; have each of them a parcel of Land; of equal goodness and value; suppose also that A hath let his parcel for twenty one years at twenty pound per annum; but that B is free; now there comes out a Taxe of a fifth part; hereupon B will not let under 25l。 that his remainder may be twenty; whereas A must be contented with sixteen neat; nevertheless the Tenants of A will sell the proceed of their bargain at the same rate; that the Tenants of B shall do。 The effect of all this is; First; that the Kings fifth part of B his Farm shall be greater then before。 Secondly; that the Farmer to B shall gain more then before the Taxe。 Thirdly; that the Tenant or Farmer of A shall gain as much as the King and Tenant to B both。 Fourthly; the Tax doth ultimately light upon the Landlord A and the Consumptioners。 From whence it follows; that a Land…taxe resolves into an irregular Excize upon consumptions; that those; bear it most; who least complain。 And lastly; that some。 Landlords may gain; and onely such whose Rents are predetermined shall loose; and that doubly; viz。 one way by the raising of their revenues; and the other by exhausting the prices of provisions upon them。 6。 Another way is an Excisum out of the Rent of Houseing; which is much more uncertain then that of Land。 For an House is of a double nature; viz。 one; wherein it is a way and means of expence; the other; as 'tis an Instrument and Tool of gain: for a Shop in London of less capacity and less charge in building then a fair Dining…room in the same House unto which both do belong; shall nevertheless be of the greater value; so also shall a Dungeon; Sellar; then a pleasant Chamber; because the one is expence; the other profit。 Now the way Land…taxe rates housing; as of the latter nature; but the Excize; as of the former。 7。 We might sometimes adde hereunto; that housing is sometimes disproportionately taxed to discourage Building; especially upon new Foundations; thereby to prevent the growth of a City; suppose London; such excessive and overgrown Cities being dangerous to Monarchy; though the more secure when the supremacy is in Citizens of such places themselves; as in Venice。 8。 But we say; that such checking of new Buildings signifies nothing to this purpose; forasmuch as Buildings do not encrease; until the People already have increased: but the remedy of the above mentioned dangers is to be sought in the causes of the encrease of People; the which if they can be nipt; the other work will necessarily be done。 But what then is the true effect of forbidding to build upon new foundations? I answer to keep and fasten the City to its old seat and ground…plot; the which encouragement for new Buildings will remove; as it comes to pas almost in all great Cities; though insensibly; and not under many years progression。 9。 The reason whereof is; because men are unwilling to build new houses at the charge of pulling down their old; where both the old house it self; and the ground it stands upon do make a much dearer ground…plot for a new house; and yet far less free and convenient; wherefore men build upon new free foundations; and cobble up old houses; until they become fundamentally irreparable; at which time they become either the dwelling of the Rascality; or in process of time return to waste and Gardens again; examples whereof are many even about London。 Now if great Cities are naturally apt to remove their Seats; I ask which way? I say; in the case of London; it must be Westward; because teh Windes blowing near 3/4 of the year from the West; the dwellings of the West end are so much the more free from the fumes; steams; and stinks of the whole Easterly Pyle; which where Seacoal is burnt is a great matter。 Now if it follow from hence; that the Pallaces of the greatest men will remove Westward; it will also naturally follow; that the dwellings of others who depend upon them will creep after them。 This we see in London; where the Noblemens ancient houses are not become Halls for Companies; or turned into Tenements; and all the Palaces are gotten Westward; Insomuch; as I do not doubt but that five hundred years hence; the King's Pallace will be near Chelsey; and the old building of Whitehall converted to uses more answerable to their quality。 For to build a new Royal Pallace upon the same ground will be too great a confinement; in respect of Gardens and other magnificencies; and withall a disaccommodation in the time of the work; but it rather seems to me; that the next Palace will be buildt from the whole present contignation of houses at such a distance as the old Pallace of Westminster was from the City of London; when the Archers began to bend their bowes just without Ludgate; and when all the space between the Thames; Fleet…Street; and Holborn was as Finsbury…Fields are now。 11。 Onely I think 'tis certain; that while ever there are people in England; the greatest cohabitation of them will be about the place which is now London; the Thames being the most commodious River of this Island; and the seat of London the most commodious part of the Thames; so much doth the means of facilitating Carriage greaten a City; which may put us in minde of employing our idle hands about mending the High…wayes; making Bridges; Cawseys; and Rivers navigable: Which considerations brings me back round into my way of Taxes; from whence I digrest。 12。 But before we talk too much of Rents; we should endeavour to explain the mysterious nature of them; with reference as well to Money; the rent of which we call usury; as to that of Lands and Houses; afore…mentioned。 13。 Suppose a man could with his own hands plant a certain scope of Land with Corn; that is; could Digg; or Plough; Harrow; Weed; Reap; Carry home; Tresh; and Winnow so much as the Husbandry of this Land requires; and had withal Seed wherewith to sowe the same。 I say; that when this man hath subducted his seed out of the proceed of his Harvest; and also; what himself hath both eaten and given to others in exchange for Clothes; and other Natural necessaries; that the remainder of Corn is the natural and true Rent of the Land for that year; and the medium of seven years; or rather of so many years as makes up the Cycle; within which Dearths and Plenties make their revolution; doth givbe the ordinary Rent of Land in Corn。 14。 But a further; though collateral question may be; how much English money this Corn or Rent is worth? I answer; so much as the money; which another single man can save; within the same time; over and above his expence; if he imployed himself wholly to produce and make it; viz。 Let another man go travel into a Countrey where is Silver; there Dig it; Refine it; bring it to the same place where the other man planted his Corn; Coyne it; etc。 the same person; all the while of his working for Silver; gathering also food for his necessary livelihood; and procuring himself covering; etc。 I say; the Silver of the one; must be esteemed of equal value with the Corn of the other: the one being perhaps twenty Ounces and the other twenty Bushels。 From whence it follows; that the price of a Bushel of this Corn to be an Ounce of Silver。 15。 And forasmuch as possible there may be more Art and Hazzard in working abou the Silver; then about the Corn; yet all comes to the same pass; for let a hundred men work ten years upon Corn; and the same number of men; the same time; upon Silver; I say; that the neat proceed of the Silver is the