In like manner the King of France had a very accurate estimate made of all France, when he formed his edict for a general subvention, which had pretty much the fate of the ship-money. And though the parliament refused their consent to the great subvention, they agreed to establish the epitome of it in August 1759: which see in the note[[33]].
[33]. This free gift was imposed upon all cities, towns, buroughs, villages, and suburbs, in France. And those lying within the jurisdiction of every Intendant were joined in one sum, leaving the repartition of them to those magistrates, as the custom is.
| For the generality of Amiens | 153 300 | |
| For the generality of Orleans | 356 000 | |
| For the generality of Paris | 1 578 000 | |
| For the generality of Chalons | 200 900 | |
| For the generality of Poitiers | 265 200 | |
| For the generality of Soissons | 60 700 | |
| For the generality of Tours | 34 434 | |
| For the generality of Rochelle | 131 800 | |
| For the generality of Bourges | 105 600 | |
| For the generality of Moulin | 91 770 | |
| For the generality of Riom | 165 628 | |
| For the generality of Lyons | 397 454 | |
| For the generality of Artois | 150 000 | Sterling. |
| Sum total | 3 690 786 | £164 034 18 8 |
The duties imposed by this arret are to be levied upon all classes of the people, nobility, commons, clergy, even nuns and monks; no exception is made except in favour of hospitals for their own consumption only.
This tax, small as it is, may be of infinite consequence in times to come. The great difficulty of raising taxes is in the beginning; and if the levying of this trifle in every city, town, village, and suburb, in France, be carefully conducted, with a view to subsequent augmentations, and if it be properly distributed upon every branch of consumption and revenue, nothing will be so easy to the King as, by his own private authority, to enforce a gradual augmentation of it, and perhaps in time to absorb in it, the whole, or at least the greatest part of the revenue of his kingdom.
Besides the two twentieths, and the free gift of the cities, several other taxes of less moment were either imposed, renewed, or continued for a longer term, and then sold for raising money for the service of the year, viz.
1mo, Five years of the free gift of the clergy of France, amounting to 15 millions, were paid down at once by that body.
2do, That of the clergy of Alsace, paid in the same way, for the same term, produced 3 millions.
3tio, A duty on firewood, &c. in the city of Paris, valued at 3 400 000 a year, sold for 7 years, for 10 millions.
4to, Another duty upon the consumption of eggs, butter, &c. valued at 2 400 000, sold for 15 years for above 30 millions.