Daylight Robbery

Daniel N Erasmus
2009/10/22

Caius Servius rode his white stallion laden with military regalia, befitting his position as Lieutenant in the 3rd Division of the Britannica Legion. A small troop of soldiers marched behind him in precision formation along the cobbled roadway, paved by the Empire’s engineers. He was en route to several villages in the area.

Caius Servius rode his white stallion laden with military regalia, befitting his position as Lieutenant in the 3rd Division of the Britannica Legion. A small troop of soldiers marched behind him in precision formation along the cobbled roadway, paved by the Empire’s engineers. He was en route to several villages in the area.

The morning was still crisp and fresh. The beginnings of the warm morning sun flowed over the countryside stretching the shadows of the occasional coppice. The rolling green covered in a fine sparkling mist looked fresh. He admired the beautiful English landscape around him. It was a fine day.

In the distance he noticed the remnants of last night’s fireplace wisping away, twirling slowly into the fresh morning sky. A cottage in a small village. Next to a bubbling stream in the valley below him. He noticed a child running out of the door, chasing a few chickens. Next minute, what must have been his mother, clad in a large apron, charged out the door after him, wagging her finger furiously. The setting looked so beautiful, so peaceful. What a wonderful place to live.

He sighed as his thoughts drew back to the parchment rolled up in his saddlebag. A decree issued by the Governor for May. ‘Taxa omnes fenestras per quas lucem cotidianam iter facit’. A tax on every window through which daylight passed. It had been decreed that all those home dwellers who fit into the wording of the decree would pay the tax. Although it was primarily aimed at the wealthy with large dwellings containing many windows, it also affected all small home dwellers. The locals aptly referred it to as ‘daylight robbery’.

Caius was en route to execute his orders to collect the tax from the country folk. He was given charge of a small band of soldiers to assist in executing his orders as the tax collector anticipated rebellious behaviour. Quite so, he thought to himself. Most of the country dwellers would find it difficult to find the extra coinage to pay for this sudden tax. He pitied them.

Nevertheless, he had orders to execute and obey them he must.

His small party of men continued to wind their way down the hill towards the peaceful village.

On arrival at the entrance to the village he noticed that these folk must mostly be craftsmen of high standard. The village and its construction was immaculate. The dwellings were all neatly built in pristine condition. Everywhere there was evidence of superb craftsmanship, beautifully carved pillars, pole fencing, neatly trimmed awnings, stylish wagons, well kept implements. He was astonished!


Equally astonishing was the fact that there was not a soul or animal in sight. The village was dead quiet, as if everyone had disappeared. All the doors were shut closed. Then he noticed something extra-ordinary, every single cottage he passed had beautifully designed wooden shutters in front of what would previously have been the windows. All the windows had been closed up with these shutters.

He stopped for a moment and admired not only the craftsmanship, but also the ingenuity of these folk. Not one window allowed light to pass through it. They had heard of the ‘daylight robbery’ and had carefully planned a way around it, using their own brand of expertise. How clever. How ingenious. How creative. He chuckled to himself, shouted an order to his men, and continued marching through the village, on his way. At the end of the day, there was no tax to collect here.

A LESSON for us all from the past, tax planning should always result in creating something of sustainable nature, other than just saving tax. Like the shutters before the windows and the taxman should acknowledge this. Ingenuity of value is valuable. It is what helps us to advance and develop. It should always be encouraged and promoted. Sometimes the imposition of tax gives rise to such a seedbed.