William III, 1695-6: An Act for granting to His Majesty an additionall Duty upon all French Goods and Merchandize. [Chapter XX. Rot. Parl. 7& 8 Gul. III.p.5.nu.6.]

Duties on

Wee Your Majesties most dutifull and loyall Subjects the Commons assembled in Parliament have cheerfully and unanimously given and granted and doe hereby give and grant unto Your Majesty the additionall and other Rates Impositions Dutyes and Charges upon the severall sorts of Goods and Merchandize to bee imported into the Kingdome of England Dominion of Wales or Towne of Berwick upon Tweed during such Tyme and in such Manner and Forme as herein after followeth And doe humbly pray Your Majesty that it may bee enacted And bee itt enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That there shall bee answered and paid to His Majesty and His Heires and Successors for the severall Goods and Merchandizes hereafter menc[i]oned over and above all Impositions Dutyes and Charges already imposed and payable upon and for the same in the Booke of Rates of Merchandize by Act of Parliament established and the Direction therein contained or otherwise the further Rates and Duties following (that is to say)

French Wine imported.

For every Tun of French Wine imported from and after the Twenty eighth Day of February One thousand six hundred ninety six for the Terme of One and twenty Yeares and from thence to the End of the next Session of Parliament and noe longer Five and twenty Pounds above the Duties already charged thereupon without any Deduction and soe proportionably for a greater or lesser Quantity.

French Brandy of Single Proof; Double Proof.

For every Tun of French Brandy of Single Proofe imported after the Twenty eighth day of February One thousand six hundred ninety six for the Terme of One and twenty Yeares and from thence to the End of the next Session of Parliament and noe longer Thirty Pounds And for every Tun of French Brandy of Double Proofe imported as aforesaid Sixty Pounds over and above the Dutyes already charged thereupon without any Deduction and soe proportionably for a greater or lesser Quantity.

French Vinegar imported.

For every Tun of French Vinegar imported after the said Twenty eighth Day of February One thousand six hundred ninety six for the Terme of One and twenty Yeares and from thence to the End of the next Session of Parliament and noe longer Fifteene Pounds over and above the Duties already charged thereupon without any Deduction and soe proportionably for any greater or lesser Quantity.

Other French Goods imported.

For all other Goods of the Growth Product or Manufacture of France imported after the said Twenty eighth Day of February One thousand six hundred ninety six for the Terme of One and twenty Yeares and from thence to the End of the next Session of Parliament and noe longer Five and twenty Pounds per Centum ad Valorem over and above the Duties already charged thereupon without any Deduction and soe proportionably for a greater or lesser Quantity.

II. Duties collected as by 12 C. II. c. 4.

Provided alwayes and bee itt enacted, That the severall Rates and Impositions hereby imposed upon the respective Goods and Merchandizes aforesaid shall bee collected and paid according to the respective Rates and Proportions herein expressed and bee raised levyed collected and paid unto His Majesty dureing the respective Tymes before mentioned in the same Manner and Forme and by such Rules Meanes and Wayes and under such Penalties and Forfeitures as are mentioned and expressed in one Act of Parliament made in the Twelfth Yeare of the Reigne of King Charles the Second intituled A Subsidy granted to the King of Tonnage and Poundage and other Summes of Money payable upon Merchandize exported and imported and the Rules Directions and Orders thereunto annexed or any other Lawes now in force relateing to the Collection of His Majesties Customes which said Act and Acts and every Article Rule and Clause therein contained shall stand and bee in force for the Purposes aforesaid dureing the Continuance of this Act.

III. Reciting that a useful Invention had been found out for the better knitting Worsted and Silk Stockings, Gloves, &c;

Loading or shipping for Exportation Frames for making and knitting Stockings, &c; Frames forfeited, and Penalty of £40 for each Frame, &c.

And whereas a very usefull and profitable Invention or Mystery hath beene lately found out for the better and more speedy makeing and knitting of Worsted and Silke Stockings Wastcoates Gloves and other wearing Necessaries whereby great Quantities are wrought off in a little tyme His Majesties Dominions abundantly supplyed and great Quantities exported into Foreigne Nations to the Increase of His Majesties Customes and the Improvement of Trade and Commerce And whereas severall of the Frames or Engines for the makeing and knitting of such Stockings and other weareing Necessaries have beene of late exported out of this Kingdome whereby the said Commodities have beene made in Foreigne Parts which were heretofore made in this Kingdome onely to the great Discouragement of the Woollen Trade in generall and the great detriment of the said Mystery and the Impoverishment of many Familyes who have beene thereby maintained For the Prevention of which Inconveniencies for the future bee it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the First Day of May One thousand six hundred ninety six noe Person or Persons whatsoever shall load or putt on board any Shipp or Vessell any such Frame or Frames or any Part or Parcell thereof in order to bee exported beyond the Seas upon payne that the Person or Persons offending herein shall not onely forfeite or loose such Frame and Frames Parts or Parcells of Frames which shall bee soe loaden and putt on board in order to be exported beyond the Seas as aforesaid but also the Summe of Forty Pounds of lawfull Money of England for such Frame or Part or Parcell thereof the one Moiety thereof to His Majesty His Heires and Successors the other Moiety thereof to the Person or Persons who shall informe and sue for the same to bee recovered by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of His Majésties Courts of Record wherein noe Essoigne Protection or Wager of Law shall be allowed or more than one Imparlance.

IV. On Removal of Frames, Notice to Master and Wardens of Company of Frame-work Knitters;

Penalty £5.

And for the more effectuall preventing the Exportation of such Frames Bee itt further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Person and Persons whatsoever which from and after the said First Day of May shall buy sell dispose of or remove from Place to Place any such Frame or Engine or any Parts or Parcells thereof shall within Two Months next after such Disposall or Removall thereof give Notice in Writeing to the Master and Wardens of the Company of Frame-Worke-Knitters within the City of London or to theire lawfull Deputy or Deputies for the tyme being some or one of them to whom and what Place the same were soe sold disposed or removed To the end that an Accompt may bee taken by the said Master and Wardens or theire Deputy or Deputies thereof upon Paine that every Person and Persons offending herein shall forfeite and pay for every such Offence to the Uses aforesaid the Summe of Five Pounds of like Money to bee recovered as aforesaid.