Persons of the present day, wishing to know the relative value
of the titles, will be interested in the following law, passed at this
time:
Every person bearing the title of
esquire, or reputed, or owning, or
writing himself such, shall pay L5
Every gentleman, or reputed gentleman,
or owning himself such,
shall pay L1
These, however, were by no means the most burdensome forms of taxation.
A man would willingly pay for the distinction of writing himself an
esquire, who would grumble with dissatisfaction at the duty on his salt.
But to meet the increasing expense of the state, and 'carrying on the
war with vigor in France and Ireland' (the propitiating clause with
which nearly all the acts of taxation of the period close), the most
minute articles, both of necessity and luxury, were required to bear a
portion of the common burden. The nation bore its unaccustomed load with
singular patience. A license duty on hackney coaches, imposed in 1693,
called forth, however, opposition from an unexpected quarter.
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