William III, 1698-9: An Act for takeing away the Duties upon the Woollen Manufactures, Corn Grain Bread Biscuit and Meal exported. [Chapter XX. Rot. Parl. 11. Gul. III. p. 3. n. 11.]

Recital that Duties upon Exportation of Woollen Manufactures, by Stat. 12 Car. II. c. 4., except such as taken away by Stat. 25 Car. II. c.6., were continued by Stat. 8 & 9 W.III. c.20.

Recital of Stat. 14 Car. II. c. 11. § 33; Reasons for passing this Act; All subsisting Duties upon the Exportation of Home Woollen Manufactures to cease.

Whereas certain Subsidies or Duties which were payable upon the Exportation of the Woollen Manufactures as well of the old as the new Draperies by the Act of Tonnage and Poundage made in the Twelfth Year of the Reigne of King Charles the Second and by the Book of Rates thereunto annexed (except such part thereof as hath been taken away by an Act made in the Five and twentieth Year of the Reigne of the said late King Charles the Second intituled An Act for taking [off (fn. 1) ] Aliens Duties upon Commodities of the Growth Product and Manufacture of the Nation) are by an Act of Parliament made and passed in the Eighth Year of His now Majesties Reigne intituled An Act for makeing good the Deficiencies of severall Funds therein mentioned and for enlarging the Capitall Stock of the Bank of England and for raising the Public Credit granted to continue untill the First Day of August which shall be in the Year of our Lord One thousand seaven hundred and six And whereas by an Act of Parliament which was made in the Fourteenth Year of the Reigne of the said late King Charles the Second intituled An Act for preventing Frauds and regulating Abuses in His Majesties Customs All Woollen Manufactures exported from any Port of this Kingdom capable of a Ship or Vessell of Two hundred Tons upon an ordinary full Sea to any Part or Place of the Mediterranean Sea beyond the Port of Malaga in any Ship or Vessell that hath not Two Decks and doth ( (fn. 2) ) carry lesse than Sixteene Pieces of Ordnance mounted together with Two Men for each Gunn and other Ammunition proportionable are (amongst other things) liable to a further Duty of One p Cents as by the said severall Acts Relation being thereunto had may more fully appeare And whereas the Wealth and Prosperity of this Kingdom doth in a great measure depend upon the Improvement of its Woollen Manufactures and the profitable Trade carried on by the Exportation of the same which Trade ought by all proper meanes to be encouraged Be it therefore enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and the Commons in Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That from and after the Thirtieth Day of March One thousand and seaven hundred all and every the Subsidies Duties and Summs of Money by the Acts before mentioned or any of them or by any other Act or Acts of Parliament or Law whatsoever now in Force granted continued due or payable or to grow due or payable for or upon the Exportation of any Long Cloths Short Cloths Kerseys Bays or Serges Cottons Stuffs Stockings Hatts Capps or any other Manufactures of Wooll or made of Sheeps Wooll or Coney Wooll or mixed with any or either of them and which are or shall be made or manufactured within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or Towne of Berwick upon Tweede shall cease determine and be no longer due or payable to His Majesty His Heires or Successors for so much as shall be exported after the said Thirtieth Day of March the aforesaid Acts of Parliament or any of them or any other Law Statute Ordinance Custom Prescription or Provision whatsoever to the contrary notwithstanding

II. Aulnage Duties, after the Expiration of Two Grants to the Duke of Richmond, as herein mentioned, to cease.

And for the better Encouragement of the Woollen Manufactures of this Kingdom Be it further enacted by Authority aforesaid That the Subsidy and Aulnage of the old and new Draperies and of all Woollen Manufactures [whatsoever (fn. 3) ] within the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Towne of Berwick upon Tweed shall from and after the Expiration or other sooner Determination (except for Non-payment of Rent within Three Months after the same becomes due and payable) of the Two Grants or Leases of the said Duties to Charles Duke of Richmond and Lenox for the Terme of Sixty Yeares bearing Date the Eighteenth Day of December in the Sixteenth Year of King Charles the Second cease determine and be no longer due or payable Any Law Statute Usage Prescription or Custom whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding

III. Proviso for Patent to Sir James Hayes and Sir Peter Apsley.

Provided alwaies That nothing in this Act contained shall be prejudiciall to the Patent granted by the late King Charles the Second bearing Date at Westminster the Fifteenth Day of Aprill in the Twenty eighth Year of His Reigne to Sir James Hayes and Sir Peter Apsley their Executors and Administrators of which there is about Eight Yeares yet to come but that the same shall remaine in the same and no other [or better (fn. 4) ]; plight and condition than as before the making of this Act Any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding

IV. Duties upon Exportation of Corn, Bread, &c. after 30th March 1700, to cease.

And for the greater Encouragement of Tillage Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That from and after the Thirtieth Day of March One thousand and seaven hundred the Subsidie and all other Duties whatsoever payable for or upon the Exportation of Wheat Rye Barley Malt Beanes Pease and other sorts of Corne and Graine whatsoever ground or unground and for and upon the Exportation of Bread Biscuit and Meale or any of them out of or from the Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales or Towne of Berwick upon Tweed as to soe much of the said Commodities or any of them as shall be soe exported after the said Thirtieth Day of March shall cease determine and be no longer due or payable to His Majesty His Heires or Successors Any Law Statute Usage or Prescription to the contrary notwithstanding.