THE Borough of Southwark properly taken (and as it is understood in the present asses­ments for the Army and Ireland) is not much more then half of that which is common­ly called the Borough of Southwark, joyned together by one continued frame of buil­dings: For in the larger and common name (and as it is, and hath usually been joyned in the businesse of Militia) it containeth 8 Parishes, viz. Olaves, Saviours, Thomas, Georges, Magdalen, Bermondsey, Mary Newington, Rotherhith and Lambeth. Whereas but the 3 Parishes of Olaves, Georges, Thomas, and a part of Saviours, are strictly and properly the Borough of Southwark, and so are charged in the Assesments of the County at almost one fourth part of the whole sum laid by the Par­liament on the County of Surrey. The other fore mentioned Parishes and places, which are almost equall in estate and value with the said Borough, are joyned in these assesments with the residue of the said County of Surrey.

The unreasonablenesse of which proportion as it is evidenced by divers ancient presidents, in most of which the Borugh of Southwark was charged but at an eighth part, sometimes but one tenth part with the County; so it was never so charged as now it is by the County, and in ordinary Military charges two of the other foure Parishes were joyned antiently with the Borough.

That the said Borough charged themselves with one eighth part of the totall charged on the whole County (which as it is the most that can be evinced by ancient presidents) so it is apparently much more then the proportion charged on the parish of Bermondsey, and those other forementioned, which though adjacent to the Borough, are assessed with the County, by which a man resident on the one side of a street in the Borough paieth as much as his neighbour of the like estate on the other side of the street charged with the County as aforesaid, and this so notoriously known that it cannot be denied by the Gentlemen of the County, so it is no small discouragement to the Inhabitants of the Borough of Southwark, who have volanturily and constantly adventured all they have or are in the service of the publique, nay beyond the said County, and would be five pence for a penny, if they should be charged as the said County have propounded, in the proportion set by them in the said Borough of Southwark.

That there is in the County of Surrey about 140 Parishes, in which are many Towns considerable, Tradesmen, and much land: Whereas in the said Borough is but 3 Parishes, and a part of a Parish: In which, though there may be 5000 families, yet there is not one thousand of them capable of pay­ing any assesments; the residue of them being very poor Tradesmen, or such as either receive alms, or beg their bread; the long continuance of these distractions much more pinching poor Tradesmen, then any other sort of people whatsoever.

That of the foresaid three Parishes, and a part of a fourth, one of the said Parishes is wholly Hospi­tall rents, and affording very little for personall estates towards the summe charged on the said Bo­rough; so there remains but two Parishes, and a part of a Parish, to bear the assesment; and in those also there is much Hospitall and Colledge rents, exempted by a particular Ordinance of Parliament.

That yet the said three poor Parishes, and a part of a fourth, have by the unequall carriage in the subdivision of assesments, been constrained to pay twice as much as any the richest Cities in England, London and Norwich only excepted; as may easily appear by comparing what the said Cities are char­ged withall particularly in the Ordinances of Parliament, with what the Borough of Southwark have do pay by being joyned in one totall with the County of Surrey.

Lastly, That much of this mischief and inconvenience ariseth by charging the said Borough of Southwark in one totall summe with the County of Surrey, there being above eight Commissioners dwelling in the County, for one resident in the Borough, of Southwark, and on the subdivision of the totall charge, the particulars being carried by most voices; it was easie to set the Borough at what they pleased, notwithstanding all protests and remonstrances to the contrary.